Police: Florida woman lied about being kidnapped to get out of work

A Florida woman and her boyfriend were arrested last week after police said they faked a kidnapping in order to keep her from going back to work.

Beverly F. Brooks lied to a co-worker about being kidnapped in order to avoid going to her job as a nightshift nurse assistant in Panama City, police said. The Panama City News Herald reported that Brooks worked alongside her boyfriend, James Vincent Hill Fennell Jr., to hatch the fraudulent hostage situation.

According to Panama City police, a co-worker called Brooks at 2:30 a.m. on Aug. 17 after Brooks didn't return from her break, and to see if she needed a ride. Brooks told the co-worker that she was being held against her will by her boyfriend and he was keeping her from returning.

Authorities said Fennell could be heard in the background telling Brooks she was not getting out of the car.

Police found Brooks and Fennell in Port St. Joe, with Brooks not in distress. She admitted that she just didn’t want to go back to work.

Both were charged with misdemeanor false report of commission of a crime with Brooks being released from Bay County Jail on bond, People Magazine reported. Fennell remains in jail, having a previous felony charge against him.

Read more at the Panama City News Herald.