Ron Welch
Muskingum County Prosecutor
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, May 10, 2024
Zanesville Woman Pleads Guilty to Sparking Kidnapping Scare
A Zanesville woman pled guilty in Muskingum County Common Pleas Court to sparking fears of a child kidnapper posing as a social worker in the community.
On May 10, Makayla C. Wood, age 23, of Zanesville, appeared before Common Pleas Court judge Mark C. Fleegle. Wood pled guilty to one count of making false alarms, a felony crime.
On April 17, Wood called law enforcement to report that a man claiming to be with Muskingum County Adult and Child Protective Services (MCACPS) drove up to her father’s home, where she was visiting at the time, and attempted to take her eight-month-old son from her. Wood claimed the man attempted to grab ger son, but she saved him before the man could get to him.
Despite patrolling the area, law enforcement officers were unable to find anyone matching the description given by Wood. Officers also reviewed video footage of the area around the residence of her father for evidence of the incident, but no evidence of the incident was recorded.
Later that day, Wood posted on social media about the alleged incident. Wood’s post triggered many other reports claiming individuals of Arabic or Indian descent had been posing as MCACPS workers, as well as reports from people claiming to have seen suspicious vehicles matching the one initially described by Wood.
Law enforcement were unable to substantiate any of the copycat reports.
On April 26, Wood told investigators she had fabricated the story, admitting that no one had tried to kidnap her child on April 17. Wood claimed that she fabricated an emergency and lied about an MCACPS worker attempting to steal her baby, in hopes that people would give her attention and spend more time with her.
Muskingum County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney John Litle says Wood’s actions demonstrate a need for psychiatric help.
“There are obvious mental health issues at play in this case,” Litle said. “It is not legal to cause a panic across town by pretending that a kidnapper was after your child. Folks have enough to be worried about in this day and age, without made-up threats. This defendant will have a mental health evaluation and we will determine what is best for herself and her child moving forward.”
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