SANTA ROSA, Calif. — Police say the seeming abduction of a 15-year-old Northern California girl was a poorly planned prank by her boyfriend and was not intended to cause a kidnap scare.
An Amber Alert was issued for the Vallejo teen after family members reported she was taken Wednesday by several men in Santa Rosa. Security video showed her being shoved into a minivan that sped off. The Santa Rosa Police Department identified the teen as Georgiana Bambaloi. In a press release, they said the prank happed at the corner of Fulton and Guerneville Road at 1:40 p.m. Wednesday.
Law enforcement said there was a significant time delay in this case because the family was returning from another country and hadn't reported Bambaloi missing right away. On top of that, police said there was language, cultural barriers, and conflicting information received that made the case complex at the time of the initial investigation.
But the girl returned home at 8 a.m. Thursday and told Santa Rosa detectives she was not the victim of any other crime. She said the person who shoved her into the van turned out to be an acquaintance and her boyfriend was the driver.
Police said detectives are attempting to speak with Bambaloi’s boyfriend regarding this incident, however, they said they have not found him.
"We are grateful for a successful, safe outcome in this case and greatly appreciate the assistance received from community members across the state," police said in a statement.
Police said the investigation into the case will continue.
