Police think Audrey Seiler’s claim that she was abducted is a hoax.
This incident certainly wasn’t good from the standpoint of her family/friends who were worried about her, or the law enforcement and other resources wasted in the investigation.
But I think it’s hilarious that the national media herd good snookered into covering this fraud. Serves them right for blowing a single, everyday case all out of proportion because the rest of the pack was doing so. The criminal investigation/missing persons gurus, the press conferences, and wost of all the live aeriel coverage of cars driving around Madison.
They should feel stupid.
I’m just wondering if it strikes anyone else as ODD that this got to be such a national case to begin with. How many people are missing at any given time??? What makes this case so special..? Does anyone else thing this could have possibly be blown out of proportion by the media and powers that be on purpose?
Greetings,
As far as I can ascertain, there was only one aspect that made this case different… That she had been attacked under –shall we say– “Unusual” circumstances. Who attacks someone and steals nothing, and does nothing other than attack? My guess was the media was betting” on a stalker. As it turns out this girl is just another Margot Kidder (but without having “been with” Superman.)
–jeff-perado
They should feel stupid.
But they won’t – not in the least – because their news segments got ratings and their budgets got paid by advertisers and everyone was happy. This time next week the vast American public will have forgotten about it, and the money will still be there.
Lets not forget about the Audrey. I do see your side and it is quite valid. I live in Canada and we even heard about Audrey missing, mind you it was an American station. Obviously either way, if it got the news converage or not, there is a young girl who is need for serious help. This was a HUGE cry for help!!! In Canada, missing people do not get really any coverage, the last one was almost a year ago and before that I can not remember the last one. (In the US, there was Jon Bennet, Laci Peterson, just to name a few). They don’t appear on Dateline, or CNN. The American Media needs to let things die, they do this no matter what the coverage is, for example Princess Diana, 9/11, invading Iraq.
Let it rest.
They ought to throw the book at Audrey and everyone else that fakes their kidnapping geeze these people need to grow up. I am so sick of the media latching on to a story no matter what it is and beating it into the ground. Its over and done either prosecute or forget it.
Have you thought that perhaps the case got national attention because she is an attractive, white girl? Look at all the missing persons case that national press latch onto. Laci Peterson, the pretty blonde girl up in the Dakotas. It is an unfortunate fact that people are more upset and outraged when a young, pretty, white girl goes missing.
I think that Audrey does need help but i think she deserves some kind of punishment for putting her lovedones through hell. She should have to pay for the massive search that the community provided. I think it was sick of her to go about seeking attention in that way. Grow UP Audrey!
this is not a racial thing. this is a story of missing girls and amber alerts and we care about kids because the next one could be yours or your grandkids or nieces etc. to hell with race, we want to protect kids, girls and boys of all ages. too hell with war.
Living in Madison, WI and having friends of Audrey’s who go to the UW the media never touched base that Audrey was in a sorority on campus and she wasn’t the only one to know about her absence. Possibly a sorority ploy or type of initiation considering Audrey was a “new” student. Why hasn’t her boyfriend commented? ..because he knew about it! Did you see the video of how she walked up to the apartment door, stopped, turned around and left, then came back. Sort-of saying “Should I do it or shouldn’t I?”..”O.k. what the hec, I’ll go do it”. She definately does “not” have a psychological disorder. Too many people peg that on everything as an excuse. Everything was premeditated and if she didn’t have a disorder then she will now considering all of the hype that will give her a slap on the wrist and a big “No No..bad girl”. She won’t get charged. It’s too bad.
I do not think this case was over publicized, nor any other missing persons case. If you have ever had any one in your life missing, or even if you haven’t I am sure that those of you who have a heart can sympathize with using every outlet available to get the missing person’s name out there, along with a picture. The media is the best place to do this. Through TV, newspapers, and the internet, we have the ability to ask for help from people to find our loved ones.I am truly sorry that in Canada you do not publicize missing people, because after the first 24 hours someone is missing, the chance of finding them alive becomes smaller and smaller with every hour.Heaven forbid you the reader should ever have a missing loved one, utlize the media in every way you can.
The news media would undoubtedly be criticized to the hilt if this incident were not highly publicized. What if it didn’t turn out to be a hoax. My 42-year-old daughter was angry with me and went away for four days. As I don’t know everyone she knows you can’t begin to imagine the thoughts that were travelling through my mind.
Judge not, lest ye be judged.
Matthew 7:1
I am from Madison, Wisconsin – the city where Audrey went to school and was “found.” The coverage here is just unbelivable … as it is in other states! Madison spent almost $100K looking for her, while that money should have been used for REAL things. I think that Audrey should be charged with something, and I also think that she should spend some time in jail so she understands that one can’t fool around with something this serious. Maybe she is mentally ill, but a lot of people are and don’t go to this extent. I have no support for her or what she did. I feel bad for her, but this was unacceptable!! Driving in this city was horrible for a few days there, but things are starting to get back to normal….
I feel bad for audrey and wish her the best of luck. I think its horrible that everyone wants her thrown in jail and accountable for the money spent in her rescue. I don’t think she should have to do anything except for recieve some sort of psychotherepy.
I dont know how you people can feel bad for her…she is a fricking honors student who premeditated the whole thing!! Nothing is wrong with her except for her complete lack of common sense. She should be expelled from this university (where i also go and also am an honors student and know the pressures of day to day life) and also have to pay every penny the city spent searching for her. Who we should feel bad for is her family who had to go through that trauma and who has to put up with her now. I wish i had never felt bad for her and prayed for her safe return. This has affected us all, but for you people who feel sorry for her, you’re also another problem. The problem of society not being responsible for their own actions. This is why murderers and rapists get off with a “slap on the wrist”. No one is held accountable anymore. Fuck you Audrey and grow up.
You have a point Erin. We shouldn’t feel sorry for her, but that’s maybe what she wanted. I feel sorry for her family and friends for sure. I feel sorry for all of the public that did pray and wish and hope. In a way the world feels betrayed, but it’s good to know there are still “good” people out there. Not stating that Audrey isn’t good, but there’s got to be more behind this than just a girl that is stressed. Don’t you think so? I absolutely “do not” believe in the psychological problem. That’s an easy out for everything & everyone. Too easy! We have too many people that are always feeling sorry for someone or always thinking that nobody means any harm.. but in reality there ARE people out there that really *mean* to do dumb things and really *mean* to cause harm.
yep, yessir, it is bees a racial thing, unhuh. If it were a ugly fat big booty Aunt Jemima that went missing, we jest bees thinking she aint done being the crack ho that she’s be and nobody bees missing her. But when it’s a purty lil white girl whose puddy we alls bees missing, we’s set out the chaingang lookin for where she be!
Ok whoever you are, Jeremiah, we can do without that talk…grow up already and face the facts. Dont you think that her being from a prestegious big ten school, 4.0 student, and “unusual circumstances” in which she went missing had more to do with the media coverage than her being just a “purty lil white girl”???
Man, what a sickening little bitch. So fucking spoiled. So she’s getting dumped (you know …life…it happens). I can’t stand people who create dramatic scenarios to “promote” their delicate vulnerability. Oh, lets all protect the poor sweet beautiful white girl!!! She makes me puke.
One time this girl I know was really spoiled and she was jealous of this other girl (dormmate) and went on vacation and before she left stole all her own jewelry and certain clothes that the other girl had complemented her on,sold the stuff and set her dormmate up to look like a horrible person and the real bitch to look like the “victim” since she said all she ever did was “help her” and this is how she treats me”. These kind of fuckups should be severely dealt with. Majorly disgusting. This Audrey is an asshole just like the girl I mention because she did premeditate the whole ordeal, no concience. Just imagine how her friends and family feel. Yeah, I prayed for her and certainly do feel betrayed. And yes it is because she is a pretty white girl that all the attention was focused on her. Life ain’t fair.
Audrey obviously has troubles, but she should pay for her gross lack of common sense.
The race factor is sad and frustrating. I can only think of one “non-white” high-profile kidnapping case — the hispanic girl who was recently discovered through DNA proof.
I work at a major newspaper, so I understand the media’s role. It all boils down to human nature: Ever drive by an accident and gawk? Ever watch really bad TV and wonder why it’s so oddly compelling? People can’t help but like melodrama — it’s who we are.
The paper I work at frequently runs “non-sensational” but powerful stories. They’re the ones about the cancer cluster in a local neighborhood or how our air quality is going to shit and giving our kids asthma. Will stories like these get nominated for Pulitzers? Yes. Will readers remember them? NO.
I’m not saying the media is flawless. I’m just saying that we deliver what the public wants. Attacking us seems useless — we’re normal people just like you. (Except for those TV bastards! 😉
Anywho, my humble opinion is that Audrey should pay (unless she is found clinically insane, which I doubt.)
Audrey Seiler you are a very disturbed woman…red-letter “K” for kook…and what is going on with her family? She’s a psycho from a psycho family. Where the mark, girl, you deserve it…she needs a big red K tatooed on her forehead. Audry, you are a selfish, self-centered, crazy beeoootch. No wonder your boyfriend, Ryan Fisher, wanted the hell away from her….good move Ryan~! Poor Ryan, the hell you must have endured. Did I say that she’s ugly?
Audrey Seiler has created a factor that will further deter citizens, police and the media from searching for real missing people. Yes, the police and media do not follow-up immediately on many missing persons reports, precisely because of this type of attention-getting stunt. She needs to be CHARGED with the crime she committed, REPAY the cost of your tantrum to the taxpayers, and be CHAINED to a iron bed for the rest of you @#$%^&* life!!
Didn’t mommy ever tell you about the little boy who cried wolf? (no, she was too busy screwing the pool boy). Maybe Audrey will be abducted for real — she’s made herself interesting target now, because no one will look for her….no one will come, Audrey.
I really feel badly for those of you who have no sympathy for Audrey. Audrey obviously has problems and should be held accountable for her actions and required to get the help she certainly needs. However, there are some people who posted such hateful and nasty things on here that I’m inclined to think that some of you need some help, too. People make mistakes. That’s what makes us human. I certainly hope that when those of you who have no compassion make mistakes, (and you will….it’s inevitable in life) you are shown more kindness than you have chosen to give. Shame on you.
I feel bad for her, but regardless of feelings she needs to be punished. She needs to learn, as well as others, that this is unacceptable. I feel worse for the people that have gone through an abduction in their family.
tHIS IS THE second time she, aUDREY sEILER!!, HAS done this — she plotted it, she shopped for the knife, duct tape, etc., she broke into her boyfriend’s email, then she staged a kidnapping — ran away sat in a swamp for 4 days. She is a first-degree nutcase. She didn’t make a “mistake” — she plotted, schemed, intentionally trying to selfishly get attention. Audrey took advantage of a community, a police department, a country…she turned Madison upside down, she has damaged the system that looks for missing people…she needs to make a PUBLIC APOLOGY. She’s in the same boat with Susan Smith, the girl who killed her children and used the entire country to try to find A PHONY ABDUCTOR! These phony abductions must stop — swift, effective punishment will send a message. ANd I would like her to pay the taxpayers back….little f#$^%@ BEEOOOTCH !!
Wasssssssssssssssssssssssssssuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuupppppppppppppppppppp? Yo Bee0000tch! I’;ve done some pretty dumb things when I was 20, but ol Audrey takes the cake! Alot of people want instant notoriety in this world, but do not realize that for it to be good, it takes due diligence, hard work and years of being undiscovered. Audrey wanted it now & therfore it is bad! Let the justice system teach her the lesson that her cabana boy pumpin mom couldnt teach her about growing up! The worst thing is 10 years from now when she finally does graduate from college or so, every employer is gonna remember her name and instantly throw her resume in the shitter. Hows bout dem apples Audrey?
They should neuter this bitch with the balls to do something so selfish. Stop breeding these awful people. Imagine what kinds of controlfreakish things she will do to her offspring.
To all you people like jennifer out there who cant see how we can treat Audrey SOOO badly…. Will you just look and see what this whining little bitch is doing to the female gender…. 1) she transfers to madison to be near her boyfriend (puh-leasee…) 2)boyfriend doesnt show her enough atention, they fight at party, she fakes being hit on head to get his attention (ok, no matter how sick, its better than faking an abduction) 3) she hacks into boyfriends computer to find he is e-mailing ex in MN (get a life already and leave the poor guy alone) 4)She goes to store, buys ducktape, knife, etc (ok getting a little carried away….) 5)checks on internet for marshy areas, woods, 5-day forecast (maybe shes running away, that wouldnt be so bad, what teenager doesnt try that right??? oh wait, shes an adult…hmmm….) 6)Actually makes it out to the marsh, pronounced “missing”, BUT seen numerous times around campus and talking to other people where she was bound to see a picture of her (ok taking it a little too far now…) 7) is actually found by police but she fabricates an abduction so she doesnt look like a whinny spoiled Minnesota chick who cant handle her own in MADISON WI!!!!!….(ok, that takes the cake for me). OPEN YOUR EYES PEOPLE!!!!! I cant believe there are girls out there who feel sorry for her because she is the last person I (we) ever want to be!!! I cant believe there are guys out there feeling sorry for her because she is the last person you would want to date!!! I cant believe there are parents out there feelign sorry for her because hopefully their kid would be the last one on this earth to do this and if she were my daughter i would have her stand up in front of the whole country and have her try to explain she did all this to receicve the attention of a boy who was starting to show less interest in her as the days went by!!! What a stupid, selfish, irrational reason to do all this!!! All over a boy!!!! I dont know about you, but i though that 4.0 students who went to madison were better than that. And i should know, i am one and know plenty of them….
Why don’t they charge her with kidnapping? After all, she abducted herself…funny thing, though, the sketch of the abductor looks nothing like Audrey…
Do you think she molested herself, too?
Plea Bargain?…yeah, make bigger fools of the Madison “detectives” … you really had them going, didn’t cha Audrey. That was real funny. And, you’re right, you are “messed up.”
She needs to get a life. If she acts out this way when her boyfriend doesn’t pay enough attention to her or is interested in another chick, then she better never have another relationship or sex for the rest of her life. I would hate to see how she would act out if something truely STRESSFUL & TRAGIC happened in her life. I hope when she was in the nut house, the psyciatrist gave her whatever meds and counsiling she needs, so she never does something so childish and crazy like this again. How DESPERATE can a female be? Does she realize there are “other fish in the sea” and there are other women that have the TYPICAL issues with a boyfriend or spouse and they don’t go plan a fake abduction. Come on…GET A LIFE GIRL and don’t waste tax payers money and USE PEOPLES EMOTIONS!!
Oh, God , WHERE’S AUDREY! Oh my God — WHERE’S AUDREY!!! Audrey! No, please say it isn’t so! Has Audrey been abducted again !!! Oh God — People — Help Us Find Audrey !! Why won’t anyone help us find Audrey !! WHERE’S AUDREY !!!
I’m missing again..I mean abducted again!!
Come Find me everybody !!!
Oli Oli Oxen Free!!! Betcha can’t find me this time ~!!!!
Hey, guys…start finding me !!
C’mon guys…let everyone know….
so c’mon and start to find me now…
HINT: I didn’t go…I’m not in a swamp this time.
Nyquil is great — you tried the stuff?
Hey, guys, it’s been 6 whole hours since I, since I was abducted!
Call the TV and Radio people — I’m missing for God’s Sake !!
C’MON! …its COLD out here !! Serious — for real this time — no joke !!
Hey guys, doesn’t anyone care — c’mon, don’t you wanna find me ! Okay, it was a guy with a big whopper…a guy with a big whopper abducted me.
I’ll take a double whopper with cheese (the abductor wasn’t big enough), please. Gee, can I get arrested for molesting myself? … have it your way…have it your way. Grease me up baby, I’m looking at prison time!
My work takes me to Madison, Wisconsin; I happened to be there March 31st. What started out as an uneventful morning turned very ugly in the space of a few seconds. As I entered the UW Medical Center, heard a series of shouts, turned and saw the source of the commotion. A man was face down on the pavement, cops with their weapons all drawn on the guy. SWAT team slapped on the cuffs and carted him away. The man offered no resistance whatsoever (a rather wise decision, I might add).
We were all understandably quite shocked at the scene. Now we know, Audrey Seiler, the 20-year-old University of Wisconsin sophomore who had been missing since March 27, had nearly been discovered, alive, in a marshy area a few miles away from the medical center. According to the police. Audrey said her abductor was in the area and carrying a knife and a gun. �I can�t leave the woods � a bad man will kill me,� quoteth Audrey at the time.
Seiler�s story prompted a manhunt. After all, the efforts to bring Audrey�s captor to justice cost the police upwards of around $100,000 and countless hours devoted towards the overall investigation.
The problem is: Seiler was never in any danger. There was no kidnapper. She made the whole thing up. She lied.
Why did Audrey lie? The answer is simple � she wanted attention.
According to the information obtained by police during, Seiler was upset by a fading romantic relationship. She discovered e-mail exchanges between her paramour and another woman. This prompted her four-day �voyage of self-discovery.�
I am apaulled at Seiler’s behavior, but, I am more incensed over attempts to portray Ms. Seiler as some kind of victim in this scenario. Let�s take a look at two such examples.
Immediately after the hoax was exposed, Ms. Seiler cut off talks with police. The authorities are now speak to her through her attorney, Randy Hopper. In a recent press statement, barrister Hopper stated that Ms. Seiler is receiving medical care after going from �one major crisis to another.� Apparently, fabricating a kidnapping is a type of �medical crisis� and not a crime.
Her hired gun�s spin job pales in comparison to the response of Audrey�s alma mater, the University of Wisconsin.
Dr. Luoluo Hong, the UW Dean of Students, issued a statement on April 2 which exemplifies the sad state of rampant political correctness present in academia. Here are some of the more salient excerpts of her response:
�Our thoughts are with Audrey Seiler, the Seiler family and her friends as they continue to go through this trying time.�
�While we do not condone the behavior attributed to Audrey by the Madison Police Department, we fully understand that people communicate their need for help in many different ways.�
�We want to take this opportunity to remind all of our students that there are a variety of resources available to them, should they be experiencing any kind of difficulty or feeling overwhelmed.�
If you hadn�t already known that Audrey had faked her kidnapping, you might be inclined to misinterpret this statement. The way it is written almost implies that Audrey has been the victim of some horrendous crime or that she has suffered some severe personal tragedy such as the death of a loved one. Of course, as with any written statement, you must always consider the authority of the source.
If you do a bit of digging on Dr. Hong, you will find that she is a many-faceted individual. In fact, her bio relates that she is an �activist, educator, motivator, comedian, and survivor.� A frequent campus speaker, Dr. Hong can often be found rendering her personal account of surviving rape or giving her unique perspective on binge drinking.
Any chance that Dr. Hong might have an agenda?
There is a reason that I specifically cited these two examples. They epitomize the �victimization� mentality which is endemic in two areas � the legal community and academia. In the eyes of these two communities, no one is ever at fault for anything and there is always an external factor or an internal �disorder� which can account for a person�s bad behavior.
In the legal realm, it�s called the �technicality.� That�s the deus ex machina that an effective advocate can use to exonerate his or her client. If all else fails, there�s always the insanity defense which effectively imputes liability � and personal responsibility � away from the person in question. It is actually quite an elegant argument. With the absence of personal responsibility, there is no need for apologies or restitution.
Not to be outdone, academia is notorious for ascribing labels to previously non-existent pathologies as a way of steering responsibility away from the culpable party. I�m not normally a betting fellow, but I�ll wager a double sawbuck that some researcher somewhere is basing his thesis on a newly emerging psychological disorder called �Attention Deprivation Syndrome.� I�m sure it will be added to �DSM-V�, whenever that comes out.
Audrey Seiler does not need a lawyer or a therapist or a psychologist or a �traumatologist.� What Audrey Seiler really needs is a good swift kick to the tookus � perhaps by the young fellow who had the rifle pointed at his noggin for no reason other than that Audrey wanted everyone’s attention.
Oh yeah, one other thing. Regarding the question posed in the title of this piece: Pathetic. Definitely pathetic.
What’s up?
hey all, personally i feel that some of the responses posted were quite pointless, she faked her abduction yes, she should recieve punishment no doubt. but whats up with everyone and their ghetto language?? chill out ppl she was “missing”
The last person sadly passed away before they finished typing. The complete sentence was … ‘she was “missing” a brain.