Influencer Found Guilty After Falsely Claiming A Couple Tried To Kidnap Her Kids

California Mommy Influencer Found Guilty of False Police Report

A California Instagram “mommy influencer” has been found guilty of making a false police report after claiming in 2020 that a couple tried to abduct her children.

Kathleen “Katie” Sorensen, 31, was found guilty on one of three misdemeanor counts last week after a jury deliberated for an entire day, the Sonoma County District Attorney’s office announced in a press release. She faces a maximum sentence of six months in jail.

Justice Served

“This verdict will enable us to hold Ms. Sorensen accountable for her crime, while at the same time helping to exonerate the couple that was falsely accused of having attempted to kidnap two young children. The case is also important in that it illustrates the importance of using social media responsibly,” District Attorney Carla Rodriguez said.

Sorensen went viral on social media in December 2020 when she accused a Latino couple of following her around a Michael’s craft store and attempting to kidnap her children. The accused couple, Eduardo and Sadie Martinez, insisted at the time of Sorenson’s allegations that race played a role.

Family Speaks Out

“Great news for us all but mostly for my cousin, Sadie Vega-Martinez and her husband Eddie,” a family member wrote on Facebook after Sorensen was charged in May 2021. “They were falsely accused by this ‘influencer’ of trying to kidnap her kids at a local Michaels store. A major allegation! She obviously didn’t know who she was messing with… my cousin. Prima, I’m so glad you persisted! There absolutely need[s] to be consequences for attention seeking ‘influencers’ that make up drama for likes and views on social… Can you imagine this happening to YOU? It totally could. And it’s unreal.”

False Accusations

Sorensen claimed in an Instagram post that her “children were the targets of attempted kidnap.” Fox News reported that Sorensen accused the Martinezes of trying to kidnap her children from the craft store. Sorensen regularly posts on social media about her kids, and her allegations ended up pushing her number of followers on Instagram from 6,000 to more than 80,000.

Unfounded Claims

Sorensen reportedly told police the couple followed her as she pushed her children in a stroller in the parking lot heading toward her car. She reportedly said the couple made comments about her children’s appearances and stood near her vehicle as she put her children inside.

• Surveillance footage showed the couple did not follow Sorensen around the store
• The couple did not make any comments about Sorensen’s children
• The couple did not stand near Sorensen’s vehicle

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Police eventually cleared the couple, noting the “inconsistencies” in Sorensen’s story, such as her claim the couple didn’t buy anything even though surveillance footage shows that to be false.