Florida Teen Shot Himself To Fake Abduction, Says Police

A seventeen-year-old in Florida allegedly went to great lengths to stage an elaborate crime scene. According to authorities, the boy may have even shot himself to make it look like he had been abducted. Since then, however, the teen is facing multiple charges.

Deputies Initially Came Across A Disturbing Scene, But Evidence Suggested Things Weren’t As They Appeared

A young teenage boy from Florida, Caden Speight, recently found himself in trouble with police after a series of incidents starting on September 25. The boy allegedly texted his family that afternoon, claiming that he had been shot.

Local deputies were then dispatched. They tried to locate Speight using the last location of his cell phone. These local authorities soon found themselves using a vast amount of resources and manpower in their search.

Police car/Credit: Unsplash — Police car – Unsplash

According to a release shared by People, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office shared that authorities soon came across a disturbing scene. As it was described, “Crime Scene Technicians observed a bullet hole through the windshield of the vehicle, suspected blood, Speight’s severely damaged cellphone, drag marks in the dirt, and bicycle tracks leading away from his truck.”

Initially, the MCSO, as well as other outside agencies, believed that Speight had been kidnapped and was in great danger. Fearing for his life, various resources and personnel were used in the investigation.

Within a day, however, the story proved to be a hoax. Deputies discovered Speight during a service call. An eyewitness also claimed to have seen the boy leave the alleged crime scene on a bike.

The 17-Year-Old Now Faces A Number Of Charges & Was Taken To A Juvenile Detention Center

A handgun was also found in his possession, which deputies later determined was used to shoot his leg. Authorities shared the belief that Speight had intended to use the wound as evidence that he had indeed been kidnapped. However, authorities determined that it was a “self-inflicted.” This “gunshot wound to his leg” reportedly “shattered his femur and required medical treatment.”

Speight did not initially confess to staging the kidnapping. However, a forensic search gave authorities more reason to believe it was a hoax. As the release shared, “While continuing the investigation, detectives additionally learned that Speight had mentioned running away before, and they located ChatGPT searches on his laptop about collecting his blood without causing pain and Mexican cartels.”

After two weeks of investigation, police believe they have pieced together what might have happened. As the release shared, “Speight had fired the shot through the windshield, splattered a mixture of blood in the truck, and destroyed his cell phone… Speight then fled the area on a bicycle with camping supplies he purchased at Walmart just before reporting this incident.”

Since then, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office booked Speight into custody on October 15. He now faces charges of “charges of presenting false evidence, shooting into a conveyance, making a false report of a crime and possession of a firearm by a minor.” As a minor, he was taken to the Marion Regional Juvenile Detention Center following his arrest.

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