Chloe Stein: Pennsylvania woman arrested for faking disappearance to avoid shame over failed college graduation
JEANNETTE, PENNSYLVANIA: Chloe Stein has been arrested for allegedly fabricating her own disappearance and costing Penn State a significant sum of money in her search. Stein, a Penn State University student, pretended to disappear to save herself the humiliation of not being able to graduate as she missed so many classes.
Following Stein's discovery at a friend's home, Pennsylvania State Police stated that the missing person case involving the 23-year-old Jeannette, Pennsylvania, resident was apparently a hoax, according to The Sun. On Tuesday, May 2, at noon, Stein's boyfriend and two friends raised the alarm about her disappearance after finding her car abandoned. Stein's car was found on a road beneath a bridge, approximately a mile from the Sonic restaurant where she worked in Hempfield.
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Where did Chloe Stein go to hide?
On Monday, May 1, Stein sent her boyfriend a message around 11 pm claiming that she was being pulled over—a lie that later came to light. Trooper Steve Limani stated that Stein reportedly left her car in Greensburg on Monday night, May 1, and walked at least three miles to a friend's house, according to The Sun.
Police claimed that Stein remained in the friend's house's garage, which wasn't intended to store cars until Tuesday night, May 2, as per the Sun. K-9s and a helicopter were used in a six to seven-hour search for Stein on Tuesday, May 2. Police also enlisted the aid of the neighborhood fire departments to scour a wooded area.
What are the charges against Chloe Stein?
Stein was arrested and charged with false alarm to agency of public safety, false reports, obstruction of the administration of law and other governmental activities, and disorderly conduct after police received a tip that she was there. Limani stated that police invested "tens of thousands of dollars" in the search.
'Stein had fabricated the incident'
Court documents claimed that Stein asserted to police officers that she was taken away during a traffic stop, blindfolded, and driven to numerous places nearby, according to Trib Live. The police initially reported that Stein was scheduled to graduate from Penn State University soon, but they later discovered that she had not been a student there for the past year and a half.
Troopers' complaint stated, "Video evidence, cellular evidence, and information obtained during interviews concluded that Stein had fabricated the incident. When questioned further about the inconsistencies, Stein admitted that she had fabricated all of the information pertaining to the incident."
On Tuesday, May 2, Limani addressed the neighborhood and stated, "The only reason we are here before tomorrow is that the people need to know there is not somebody pulling people over this minute that is abducting people," according to The Sun.
