GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A woman who triggered an Amber Alert last summer by falsely reporting her daughter was taken from a Grand Rapids gas station was sentenced to probation Thursday for what her attorney called an “unfortunate mistake’’ that “played out in a very public way.’’
The judge told 27-year-old Jennell Michelle Ross the false report she made “diminishes the effects of Amber Alerts.’’
“When you file that false report and you activate all those social rules that we have in place to protect children, the negative effects just trickle down,’’ Kent County Circuit Court Judge Curt Benson said.
Ross, who has an otherwise clean record, was placed on probation for three years and ordered to pay more than $3,600 in restitution to the Grand Rapids Police Department.
Ross did not address the court prior to sentencing. Her attorney called the incident “bad judgement that mushroomed very quickly.’’
“This was an unfortunate mistake that unfortunately played out in a very public way,’’ defense attorney Patricia Eppler said.
Benson offered a different assessment.
“It was a crime you committed; it was not merely a mistake,’’ Benson said. “You were not very forthcoming. It took a long time before the truth came out.’’
Police say Ross told officers her car was stolen from a gas station near 44th Street and Kalamazoo Avenue SE on Sunday, Aug. 5. She said her 18-month-old daughter was inside the vehicle. Grand Rapids police found the car a short distance away; an empty car seat was inside.
Ross reported that a stranger drove off with her daughter. The “stranger’’ was actually the child's father, who wasn’t supposed to be with Ross.
Michigan State Police issued the Amber Alert about 3 a.m. By early afternoon, the Amber Alert was canceled after an extended family member of the child told police the girl was safe with her.
“She made a terrible mistake by saying she didn’t know who drove the car away,’’ Eppler said. “Obviously it mushroomed quickly out of control.’’
The judge told Ross the false report wasted police resources and frightened legions of people when the Amber Alert sounded.
“A stranger kidnapping a child off the street is probably the most frightening thing that can happen in society,’’ Benson said. “It’s every parent’s worst nightmare and for that reason, we have Amber Alerts. Every available police officer drops what they’re doing and immediately goes out in search of the baby.’’
Just three days earlier, an Amber Alert was issued after a babysitter took her young charge from Grand Rapids to Benton Harbor.
The child was found safe in Benton Harbor; 20-year-old Iyesha Gibbs was recently sentenced for kidnapping-child enticement.
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