The fake kidnapping was reported around 1 a.m., when the 12-year-old girl disappeared from her home in Itaiópolis, in the North of Santa Catarina, Brazil, and began sending texts to her parents, telling them that she had been kidnapped. In her texts, the girl claimed she had received death threats and had been brutalized by the kidnappers.

Terrified that their daughter might never lose her life, the parents contacted the police, and the Criminal Investigation Division (DIC) of Mafra, a neighboring city, began an investigation to locate the victim and her kidnappers.

Around 11 a.m., the missing minor started sending her parents messages again, this time asking for a sum of money as ransom, to prevent the kidnappers from killing her. But only a few hours later, before the family could arrange the details of the ransom, police located the girl in a house on the rural outskirts of Itaiópolis.

To the surprise of the special forces ready to confront the girl’s kidnappers and rescue her from their clutches, there was no one to confront. The 12-year-old “victim” was in no apparent danger, and during questioning, she admitted that she had made up the kidnapping story just to extort money out of her poor parents.

The girl was taken into custody and accused of committing an act analogous to the crime of extortion, but it’s unclear if she stands to suffer any legal consequences, considering her young age.

We’ve reported fake kidnappings before, planned for various reasons, but what really sets this case apart is the mastermind’s age.