Report: NC mother, newborn believed missing is a hoax

Photo Credit: Scotland County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigative Unit 

Reports of a missing mother and her newborn baby believed to be in danger was all hoax, according to WRAL

One person has been arrested after investigators say the report of the missing woman and child was found to be false. 

The Scotland County Sheriff's Office asked for the public's help in locating the missing infant and her mother on Friday, Feb. 1.

Deputies were supposed to be searching for "a Hispanic female known as April Morrison," they said. Morrison is "possibly Puerto Rican or similar," and speaks English as well as Spanish.

The mother reportedly arrived in Richmond County when she was about eight months pregnant and then gave birth to the child, the sheriff's office said. 

The infant, who is female and around 2-3 weeks old, is believed to be in danger and not in the care of her mother, deputies said. 

An Amber Alert was supposed to be issued for the 3-week old baby, but was denied because the information provided was "sketchy." 

"We've not positively identified the infant, and [have] reasonable suspicion that April is operating under an alias," the sheriff's office said earlier on Friday.  

By Friday night, Lt. Jessica Sadovnikov with the Scotland County Sheriff's Office said authorities had determined the entire story had been fabricated, and the mother and child were never missing or in danger.

The name of the person taken into custody hasn't been released at this time. Check back with FOX 46 for updates on this developing story.