South Carolina woman running for mayor posts fake attack and kidnapping video on FB Live to get sympathy votes
SUMTER, SOUTH CAROLINA: A woman running for mayor in Sumter reportedly faces criminal charges after police say she staged her own kidnapping and beating to get “publicity, sympathy, and votes in the November election.” Cops in Sumter have reportedly arrested two people regarding the incident - 29-year-old Sabrina Belcher, and 34-year-old Christopher James Eaddy.
Belcher is the mayoral candidate. According to Belcher’s campaign page on Facebook, she is the first “Black female candidate ever to run” for the office.
According to the police, Belcher, reportedly a Democrat, admitted to planning the whole thing, which she allegedly recorded and posted to Facebook Live. Per the police, on Tuesday, August 18, around 11:30 p.m. Belcher reported to police that she was assaulted and kidnapped by a man she didn’t know, who also tried to rob her. She was injured. Belcher also claimed that her vehicle windows were knocked out during the alleged incident.
During the course of the investigation, as per Sumter police, Belcher provided a fake name of her attacker, who turned out to be Eaddy. They said, however, that they later determined Belcher was in contact with Eaddy whom she had allegedly worked with just days before the supposed incident.
According to the cops, the duo also attempted to discredit a fellow candidate in their recording. They said that Belcher had ongoing plans to smear other mayoral candidates prior to the election. “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.”
On Twitter, on Friday, August 21, Journalist Andy Ngô shared what appeared to be Belcher’s Facebook Live video. He wrote, “A Sumter, S.C. woman & rapper who was running to be the city's ‘first black female mayor’ has been arrested for allegedly faking her own kidnapping & beating for sympathy votes. Sabrina Princess Belcher, 29, live-streamed the stunt on FB. #HateHoax.”
Ngô further wrote, “Here is part of the now-deleted Facebook live video police say was a fake kidnapping stunt to garner sympathy votes. Sabrina Princess Belcher campaigned to be the ‘first black female mayor’ for Sumter, S.C. #HateHoax”
Here is part of the now-deleted Facebook live video police say was a fake kidnapping stunt to garner sympathy votes. Sabrina Princess Belcher campaigned to be the "first black female mayor" for Sumter, S.C. #HateHoax pic.twitter.com/UUM121q8UZ
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) August 21, 2020
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.
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.
Sumter has a population of roughly 40,000 residents and at present it’s mayor is Joseph T. McElveen Jr., who was elected in 2000. He is the city’s longest-serving mayor. McElveen announced in January he would not seek re-election. Belcher is one of six candidates seeking to replace him.