North Carolina woman arrested after allegedly faking her own murder

A 37-year-old North Carolina woman has been arrested after allegedly faking her own murder and making anonymous reports to police and friends, the Franklin Police Department said in a news statement.

Margaret Sweeney, known as "Maggie," was arrested on Monday for false report to a police station, false report of death or serious injury by telephonic communication and obstructing law enforcement officers. Sweeny's actions "caused our department, as well as other departments, many hours of work which could have been spent on other matters," the police said. 

She was first reported missing on Friday, which is when Franklin police issued an alert asking for help in locating a woman with brown hair and brown eyes. The next day police posted an update on social media that said, "Sweeney has been located in a neighboring town and is safe."

Numerous people posted on the Franklin Police Department page saying they were glad Sweeney was found. One writer said, "Glad you're safe Maggie! Don't scare us again!"

Sweeney's arrest comes about a month after another woman, Carlee Russell, a 25-year-old Alabama nursing student, told police she was abducted. She called 911 on July 13 to report a toddler on the highway. Russell then disappeared for 49 hours, and when she returned on July 15, she told Hoover police officers she'd been abducted. 

Later that month, Alabama authorities arrested and charged Russell with two misdemeanors for falsely claiming that she was kidnapped.

Reporting contributed by Aliza Chasan

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• North Carolina

Cara Tabachnick

Cara Tabachnick is a news editor for CBSNews.com. Contact her at [email protected]