BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – SOME people would try anything in order to get a day off from work; some would fake illness and some would even fabricate the death of a close relative just to escape the rigors of the job. But one of the most recent excuses to have been peddled is that of a middle-aged woman who faked her own kidnapping.
The San Antonio Express-News reported that Sheila Bailey Eubank concocted an elaborate story of being abduction by a man armed with a knife.
The details of her fable – according to the media house – were that while she was at a Security Service Federal Credit Union ATM in proximity to Ellison Boulevard and Brook Valley, a male entered her vehicle and ordered her at knife point “to drive around the city for what appeared to be drug deals”.
The 48-year-old also reportedly indicated that the excursion ended with her alleged attacker binding her with rope and leaving her in a field in the vicinity of Ray Ellison Boulevard and Brook Valley.
Gaping holes in Eubank’s tale began presenting themselves after the police, who found her bound, discovered - in her purse - a lottery ticket she purchased during the period of the alleged kidnapping.
Technology also ate away at the integrity of her tale when the officers’ investigations led them to surveillance footage that showed an unrestrained apparently normal Eubank.
“Surveillance footage at the store where the ticket was bought showed Eubank appearing healthy, unhurried and pleasant with a clerk as she made the purchase,” police said.
“Footage at the credit union showed Eubank withdrawing money, but there was no sign anyone else was with her.”
Eubanks reneged on her original statement having been showed the footage. And her reason for constructing such a story…she was just craving attention and wanted a day off from the job.
Her confession – however – did not save her from penalty for her actions.
According to San Antonio Express-News, she was charged with aggravated perjury for the October 10, 2012-incident and was bailed in the amount of $10 000.
It is hoped that Eubank learnt her lesson and would think twice before engaging in such acts of mendacity again.
