When Sensationalism Ends in Arrest

In April of this year, Katie Sorensen was convicted by a Sonoma County Jury for filing a false police report. For people who do the work I do, this is a win. On the outside, it may not be a big deal to some. People exaggerate things to the police all the time, right? She was just mistaken, right? Wrong.

If you don’t know who Katie is, she was a multi-level marketing influencer selling CBD products. On December 7, 2020, she went to a Michaels craft store in Petaluma, CA with her 4-year-old son and 1-year-old daughter. After shopping, she loaded her kids into her car and left the parking lot. A few minutes later, Katie called the Petaluma police, claiming a Hispanic couple had tried to kidnap her children. A week later, she posted a video on Instagram saying, “My children were the target of a kidnapping.” She went on to say, “I know this sounds bad, but they weren’t clean-cut.” The video went viral, racking up millions of views and boosting her sales and follower count. It wasn’t long before everyone was sharing it, calling it an attempted abduction by human traffickers, and it made the nightly news. The Petaluma police even shared the couple’s image from the store’s security footage on social media, asking the public to help identify them. Can you imagine the shock when their child — who went to high school in Petaluma — recognized their parents as the “kidnappers?” It turns out, the only thing that was true was that the couple was at the store that day. The rest? Totally made up.

And here’s the kicker: Katie thought the couple seemed suspicious because they weren’t “clean cut.” But who’s getting all dressed up to go to the craft store? People go to Michaels in casual clothes, not exactly a place where anyone would expect to see someone dressed to the nines. It’s like she was just looking for any reason to make them seem out of place.

Back in 2020, when we were all stuck at home, I saw tons of posts about bizarre “sex trafficking tactics” to watch out for. These posts got tons of shares and attention, while actual educational content from survivors and nonprofits working against trafficking barely got noticed. Every time I pointed out that these “tactics” were unconfirmed, people would tell me, “It can’t hurt to share, right?” Actually, it really can.

False trafficking stories gain traction because they tap into our worst fears. They make us feel like we need to protect ourselves and our loved ones, often by creating a sense of urgency. The problem is, these stories are often exaggerated or sensationalized, making them way more attention-grabbing than the factual info. And while they might get clicks, they also have serious consequences.

For one, they spread unnecessary fear. I’ve seen parents getting paranoid, checking their surroundings constantly, or avoiding certain places because they’re convinced a trafficker is waiting to grab their child. These stories also distract from the real issue by giving people a false idea of what trafficking actually looks like. Most trafficking doesn’t involve strangers snatching kids off the street. More often than not, it involves someone the victim knows — like a family member or romantic partner.

Then there’s the damage it does to people like the Hispanic couple in Katie’s case. Her false accusation didn’t just waste police time — it targeted two innocent people in her community, exposing them to public suspicion and humiliation. Imagine how their lives changed after that — how their neighbors and even their own kids must have felt when they were wrongly accused. False accusations like this reinforce harmful stereotypes and racial biases.

False narratives also harm real anti-trafficking efforts. They take away time and resources from organizations that are actually working to stop trafficking and help survivors. These groups have to fight through the noise of these exaggerated claims, which is incredibly frustrating.

Katie’s case shows just how easily people can fall for conspiracy theories, especially when they’re feeling anxious. Her obsession with sensational stories probably made her more likely to believe and spread lies about child abductions. It’s a reminder that we all need to fact-check and think critically before we share something — especially when it comes to serious topics like trafficking and child safety.

We’ve all seen how quickly urban myths spread online. These kinds of stories thrive on fear and are designed to go viral. But it’s up to us to be skeptical and ask tough questions: Is this credible? Where’s this info coming from? Has it been verified?

Katie’s conviction is a wake-up call about the power we all have when it comes to the information we share. Misinformation isn’t harmless — it creates fear, ruins lives, and undermines the real work that needs to be done. By being critical thinkers and focusing on actual solutions, we can shift the conversation back to what matters: supporting survivors and addressing the real causes of trafficking.

So next time you see a post about trafficking tactics, take a moment to think. Sharing something sensational might seem harmless, but it can have real-world consequences. Instead, try amplifying survivor voices, donating to credible organizations, or educating yourself about what trafficking actually looks like. That’s how we can make a real difference.