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The parents of an 11-year-old San Pedro boy have a "teachable moment" on their hands, as well as some likely punishment to hand out after it turns out the youngster's tale of being kidnapped was all a hoax. The unidentified boy admitted late Wednesday to detectives that he made up a story about being abducted after school by a masked man in order to cover his own behind.
ABC-7 reports that the boy confessed to Los Angeles Police department officers he had concocted the tale of being grabbed and bound with duct tape "because he didn't want to get in trouble for stealing some candy."
The candy theft, however, hasn't been confirmed. The Daily Breeze reports that the child may have told the tall tale "to avoid discipline from his parents, possibly to explain his disappearance for three hours after school." During those three hours, the child did stop in a local store to get some Skittles.
The 6th grader reportedly opted to take off on his own when his parents were late picking him up from school. He was found three hours later walking around on Gaffey Street.
His kidnapping story as told to his parents, then the cops, included him being approached by a masked and gloved man in a car. That man, said the boy, chased him down, grabbed him, put tape on his mouth, and threw him in the car. The story went on to include the boy being taken to a nearby park where the abductor rifled through the kid's pockets before the boy kicked him in the groin and fled.
Police say they will not punish the boy, but will instead leave that up to his parents.
