Police: Woman Makes Up Story About Missing Baby

"I guess I live in a fantasy world," woman admits to police

A woman who had reported her baby girl missing Monday night in Terrell was arrested after detectives discovered the baby never existed, police said.

Child welfare workers took custody of a 5-year-old boy who was with the woman, police said.

Deborah Holste, 46, of Lake Charles, La., faces a charge of filing a false police report.

Police said she told officers her 5-month-old baby, "Jacqueline," had vanished from her car seat while driving from Louisiana to Texas.

Holste said the baby apparently disappeared when she stopped to use the bathroom at a roadside park, but she didn't notice the baby was missing until later, police said.

Police started to mobilize to find the baby, but investigators got suspicious when she couldn't remember key details, including the location of the rest area.

"But she was sticking to her guns," said Terrell police Det. Walt Newell.

Officers doubted the woman's story even more when they searched her car and found brand new diapers, but no bottles. A baby's car seat "was just laying there" and not strapped in, Newell said.

After more than an hour, police said she finally admitted she made the story up.

"I guess I live in a fantasy world," she said, according to police.

Police said she had driven to Terrell to meet a former boyfriend after telling him he was the baby's father. The boyfriend had sent her money and "was giddy" about meeting his baby for the first time, police said.

"He was just an honest guy trying to make it right," Newell said.

Police put her in jail and called Child Protective Services to pick up the 5-year-old boy who was travelling with her. 

Holste claimed she had adopted the boy but police could not verify that, Newell said.

Detectives informed the woman's former boyfriend that the baby didn't exist.

"I don't know if he was relieved or disappointed," Newell said.

Contact Us