Authorities are investigating whether a 16-year-old girl who was snatched off the street right in front of her mother staged the whole thing, according to multiple reports.
An Amber Alert had been issued Tuesday morning after Karol Sanchez appeared to be kidnapped off the street Monday evening while walking in the Bronx with her mother. The NYPD had released chilling surveillance video capturing the whole scene.
Authorities announced Tuesday afternoon that they had found the missing girl unharmed in the Bronx.
"WE HAVE A VICTORY TODAY !! Karol has been found !!!," NYPD's 40th Precinct tweeted around 2:30 p.m. Eastern.
CBS New York reported that Sanchez suddenly showed back up at the scene Tuesday and turned herself in. Sources told CBS2 that the teen confessed to staging the kidnapping after she was reunited with her family.
NBC New York said detectives were looking at the strong possibility the girl staged it with her boyfriend's help.
According to ABC7, sources said they believe a possible motive was that the girl's mother wanted to move them back to Honduras but she didn't want to go. CBS 2 reported the NYPD wants to talk to everyone involved before making a decision on possible charges.
An Amber Alert had been issued Tuesday morning and the NYPD released surveillance video that showed four men grabbing Sanchez and forcing her into a beige sedan and driving away.
Karol Sanchez and her mother were in the city for a doctor's appointment, according to NBC New York. A reward was being offered up to $2,500.