Forsyth deputies detain wrong woman in search for suspect with same name
A Forsyth County woman ended up in handcuffs early Monday in connection with a crime she had nothing to do with.
Deputies detained the woman at her home after confusing her with a suspect who had the same name, Channel 2 Action News reported. They arrived at the woman’s front door and said they had a warrant for her arrest, the news station reported.
“My husband asked what the charges were and it was robbery and intimidation,” said the woman, who did not want to be identified.
The woman’s husband asked the deputies if they were certain she was the person they were looking for, Channel 2 reported. He said they knew someone else in the county who had the same name.
“When they came back they said, ‘No, ma’am, the warrant is for your arrest,'” she said. “So, at that point the three officers took a step back from me, put their hands on their guns and another one put handcuffs on me.”
After nearly an hour, the deputies finally realized they had the wrong woman, the news station reported. The sheriff’s office has launched an investigation into the incident.
“The Sheriff’s Office is aware of the incident where the individual was detained and the Office of Professional Standards is looking into the situation," a Forsyth sheriff’s office spokeswoman said in a statement. "Sheriff (Ron) Freeman has spoken with the family and will meet with them at a later date when it is convenient to them.”
About the Author
Asia Simone Burns is a watchdog reporter for the AJC. Burns was formerly an intern in AJC’s newsroom and now writes about crime. She is a graduate of Samford University and has previously reported for NPR and WABE, Atlanta’s NPR member station.
