North Carolina woman arrested after leading family, friends to think she was murdered

A North Carolina woman is facing charges after allegedly orchestrating a false report of her own murder to loved ones and authorities.

Margaret Frances "Maggie" Elizabeth Sweeney, 37, of Franklin, was reported missing on Friday, the Franklin Police Department said.

Officers began an immediate investigation due to information that Sweeney was endangered or deceased.

Sweeney, however, was found safe the next day.

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Investigators determined that Sweeney made anonymous false reports to a friend and the state Department of Social Services that she had been murdered, according to authorities.

Sweeney was arrested Monday and charged with causing a false report to a police station, false report of death or serious injury by telephonic communication and obstructing law enforcement officers.

"Sweeney's actions caused our department, as well as other departments, many hours of work which could have been spent on other matters," the police department wrote on Facebook. "Family, friends, and the community as a whole were also very concerned and worried about Sweeney's welfare."

CARLEE RUSSELL ARRESTED, FACES CHARGES AFTER DISAPPEARANCE HOAX

A similar case made national headlines last month.

In that case, 25-year-old Carlee Russell reported that she had been kidnapped on the side of an Alabama interstate after she claimed to have stopped to check on a toddler who was wandering alone.

A search ensued for two days before Russell returned home, claiming she had escaped her captors.

Russell later admitted that her story was fake, and authorities charged her with false reporting of an incident and false reporting to law enforcement, both misdemeanors. 

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