Police say report of missing 3-year-old was a hoax

EAST POINT, Ga. — East Point police have charged a mother who said her 3-year-old was missing with providing false statements to police.

Investigators said Cyndi Cuffie, 28, told them that her daughter, Kamile Shorter, disappeared from the 1400 block of Elizabeth Lane around 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Police said Kamile was found safe later Tuesday evening. She has been placed in state custody. A second child has been placed in the custody of family members.

“We don’t believe anything happened to the child, but we do believe this incident is hoax that was perpetrated by the mother,” Lt. Cliff Chandler with East Point Police said.

Investigators believe Kamile had been dropped off at a Hapeville daycare center hours earlier by her mother. When the child wasn’t picked up, the daycare center called Hapeville police, who determined that Kamile was the same child reported missing in East Point, Chandler said.

Officers were relieved Kamile was safe, considering the cold temperatures Tuesday night.

“We were ecstatic,” Chandler said. “It’s very, very cold out here. I was very worried this 3-year-old was out here and exposed.”

Cuffie is currently being held at the East Point Jail. False statements to police is a felony charge.

WSBTV