California ‘Mum Influencer’ Katie Sorensen Receives Jail Sentence for Fabricating Kidnapping Hoax

Katie Sorensen, a prominent mummy blogger based in California, has been sentenced following her false claim that a Latino couple attempted to kidnap her children while she was shopping in 2020. 

The Sonoma County District Attorney’s office announced that Sorensen has been sentenced to serve 90 days in county jail, with the possibility of spending 60 days in a work release program. Additionally, she has been placed on 12 months of probation, during which she is prohibited from maintaining any social media presence. As part of her probation terms, Sorensen is subject to warrantless search and seizure, including her electronic devices. Furthermore, she is required to complete a four-hour implicit bias training program and will face various fines.

District Attorney Carla Rodriguez emphasised in a press release that Sorensen has been held accountable for her crime, expressing the hope that the sentencing would bring closure to the couple who were falsely accused of attempted kidnapping. The incident unfolded when Sorensen reported suspicious behaviour exhibited by a man and a woman at a local craft store. However, her accusations against Sadie and Eddie Martinez, the couple she wrongfully implicated, proved unfounded, as the Martinez’s had only purchased a decorative item—a baby Jesus for a nativity scene—during their visit to the store.

Sorensen took to Instagram, sharing her fabricated story with her 57,000 followers. The video gained significant traction, accumulating nearly five million views and attracting the attention of local news outlets. Sorensen’s interviews with these news outlets revealed additional details not reported to law enforcement, ultimately leading to an investigation into the validity of her claims. As authorities delved deeper, they discovered inconsistencies between Sorensen’s account and the couple’s experience, while surveillance footage from the store showed no signs of suspicious activity.

Sadie Martinez, one of the individuals falsely accused, spoke out against Sorensen’s actions, suggesting that they were racially motivated. Martinez voiced her concerns about the impact of online racism and the hardships faced by Latin families in predominantly white communities.

Sorensen faced legal consequences for her actions, initially charged in April 2021 with two misdemeanours related to making false reports of a crime. One charge was dropped prior to her recent hearing.

Following the sentencing on Thursday, Sorensen was promptly remanded to begin serving her jail sentence, marking the culmination of a case that garnered significant attention due to its disturbing nature and the implications of false accusations.