A suspected kidnapping that ended at the park and ride in Newhall on Thursday afternoon turned out to be a misunderstanding, according to officials with the Los Angeles Police Department.
At approximately 12:30 p.m. Thursday, three law enforcement agencies responded to a 911 call of an alleged kidnapping that ended at the Newhall Park and Ride. The incident reportedly drew responses from the California Highway Patrol, LAPD and the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station.
“Both parties knew each other. And there was a difference of opinion as far as being forced to go with that person. But there was no force and no fear committed by moving the person,” said Sgt. Lafferty with the LAPD. “Unfortunately, I guess this person didn’t want to go but they didn’t say anything.”
The incident originated in the Van Nuys area. Law enforcement officers were able to stop and detain the suspect in the SCV near Highway 14.
“There was no arrest made,” said Lafferty. “During the investigation ultimately (sheriff’s deputies) had detained both parties involved. They discovered that the crime had occurred in the LAPD area … but there (were) no arrests made.”
Lafferty added it was not a domestic situation, as both parties were not involved with one another and were just friends.
“They both declined to arrest each other. The reason L.A. County Sheriff’s detained them was to do their initial investigation and then notified us to stand by until LAPD got there to determine whether we had a crime and, if so, where it occurred in our city.”
“In the end they’re both non-desirous (of prosecution), they didn’t want to have each other arrested,” Lafferty said. “There was no kidnap after our investigation was completed.”
