A Milpitas mother has been arrested following a false report of her nine-year-old son's disappearance, which resulted in a large-scale search effort only to reveal the claim was a hoax. The Milpitas Police Department announced the conclusion of the investigation surrounding the reported missing child, Harshail Kumar, who was believed to have vanished last Thursday, from the Edge Apartments at 765 Montague Expressway.
After an intensive operation that included the Milpitas Police and the Santa Clara County Search and Rescue team, alongside community volunteers, it was discovered that the mother, 46-year-old Rohnita Prasad, had intentionally hidden her son and falsely alerted authorities. According to the Milpitas Police Department's social media post, Prasad has been charged with Child Endangerment, intimidating or dissuading a witness or victim, and filing a false police report.
The circumstances that led Prasad to mislead law enforcement remain unclear, as further case details have not been disclosed due to the ongoing investigation. However, in an unfortunate turn of events, Prasad's actions necessitated a significant response from public safety entities and the community, which was otherwise engaged in a nationwide celebration of independence.
Reflecting an overriding concern for child welfare, the Santa Clara County Department of Family and Children Services is now involved in determining Harshail's future care to ensure his well-being. As per Milpitas Police, "The safety and well-being of our community, especially our children, remains our top priority." They extended gratitude to all search and rescue personnel, as well as the community participants who acted swiftly under the belief of a genuine emergency.
