A woman running for mayor in Sumter, South Carolina, is facing criminal charges after she staged her own kidnapping and beating to get "publicity, sympathy, and votes in the November election."
Police in Sumter have arrested two people in connection to the incident; 29-year-old Sabrina Belcher, and 34-year-old Christopher James Eaddy.
Belcher was running as a candidate for the mayor's office and according to her campaign page on Facebook, she is the "Black female candidate ever to run" for the office.
Kidnapping, Beating Streamed on Facebook Live
According to the police, Belcher, reportedly a Democrat, admitted to planning the whole thing and recording herself on Facebook Live.
In the video, Belcher appeared to struggle with a man who told her to get into the car. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please, I got kids!" she told him. Moments later, the man appeared to use a baseball bat to frighten her. This was followed by the sound of breaking glass and Belcher's screams. Watch the video below:
Belcher told cops on August 18, at around 11.30 p.m. that she was assaulted and kidnapped by an unknown man, who also tried to rob her. Belcher claimed she was injured in the incident and the windows of the vehicle were also smashed during the alleged crime.
In the video, Belcher tried to "discredit" other candidates competing for the mayor's position, according to police. During the investigation, police found that Belcher had provided them with a fake name of her attacker, who later turned out to be Eaddy. They later determined that Belcher was in contact with Eaddy whom she had allegedly worked with just days before the supposed incident.
A Waste of Time and Resources
"This was simply an effort to create disorder and discontent in our community for personal gain," Sumter Police Chief Russell Roark said. "As a result, a valuable number of resources, including personnel, man-hours of the police department as well as local medical professionals, were wasted based on false information."
Belcher has been charged with filing a false police report of a felony and conspiracy. Eaddy has been charged with conspiracy. Both were booked Wednesday, August 19, at the Sumter County Sheriff's Office Detention Center. According to reports, Belcher was held on a $10,000 bond. Eaddy was held on a $5,000 bond but has since been released.
