Versailles woman arrested
Abduction claim false

Wanda English Burnett
Editor

The alleged abduction of a Versailles woman now has a new twist. Tammy J. Gross, 53, of Versailles, the alleged victim, now has been charged for False Reporting, according to information from the Indiana State Police.

The incident was reported in the Osgood Journal on December 28 just two days after Gross went to the State Police Post in Versailles and said she had been abducted. She said the incident occurred as she was getting ready to turn north onto State Road 129 off of US 50 on December 26 about 12:30.

Gross said her abductor made her drive to Cincinnati and had stolen $200 from her purse. She told police she had been threatened with a gun.

Just two days after her story was told, Trooper Joe Prather, who led the investigation, received information from the Ripley County Probation Department that the kidnapping claim could be false.

After following the lead, the trooper was able to determine that the story had been made up and Gross was arrested. She has been charged with False Reporting, which is a Class B misdemeanor.