Lauren Potts made a plea on Facebook around 22 hours ago at the time of this post.
Hannah is still missing. This is a weird case. We have not been able to find the video yet.
WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR:
– Hannah apparently made the video at around 7am on July 24.
– Her phone died or was turned off shortly after.
– Her family and friends are conducting searches.
– The Gibson County Sheriff Department have finally gotten involved.
Just before 6pm on July 25, it was announced that the FBI are now involved:
Hannah’s sister has released some more information:
We were sent a recording of the video – you can listen here as it seems to be audio only:
Kelly put together a transcript of the audio:
“Mom are you there? Hello? Mom if you can hear me please say something. I really need to hear your voice. Somethings happened. I was out taking those pictures of the animals and this guy came out of nowhere. it was the same guy I saw yesterday morning in the maroon car. He grabbed me, he pushed me into the trunk. Oh god. Where is he gonna take me? Mom please. Think Hannah, think. He um… He’s black, he’s about um, Jerry’s height, Jerry I work with. He’s, he’s.. He um… his voice is deep and kind of the way he called me ‘baby girl’ sent shivers down my spine, I don’t like it. Please mom, if you’re there can you please say something to me? I’m in a room… there’s a little light, four room, four walls… and uh I don’t think they know I have the phone so you gotta tell, you gotta tell the cops everything that, you gotta show them this video so maybe they can find me and um I don’t know where he uh, where did he say, he said something about Ohio. God mom, I love you. Tell dad I love him too. Take care of Gigi for me. Please if I don’t make it back, I love you. I love you so much. I don’t know, I don’t know (inaudible) if I don’t make it home, will you ask Robin to take… care of Ringo for me. Um, did you, tell robin to take care of Marvin too. Tell Gina I said thank you for everything she’s done for me at work. You have every right to feel the way you need to about your kids.”
Part Two transcript: “but try to make things right with Lauren, cause she’s lost and she needs you right now. I know that she realized that showing up to kill dad that day was what I don’t think Lane (?) was understanding it either. Tell Courtney and Brittany to take care of those kids. Tell them that nana (or Hannah?) loves them. Maybe she’ll see them again some day. I know everything with Maria and Josh is bad. And I know Maria and I are in a fight about everything going on. But will you please tell her to do what it takes to keep her kids away from.. from that ex of hers, the child molester, the rapist, and the abuser. Tell her I’m sorry, I didn’t want to sound like I was accusing her of anything. I don’t know what’s gonna happen, mom. Love you. I should have listened more, I should have done what you asked, and I shouldn’t have went walking. Mom are you there, can you pick up the phone please? Can you say something? Hello? Mom please I think I hear someone coming. No I’m serious I hear someone coming. Mom?”
These are comments made by her brother
On July 26, Hannah was found safe.
Hannah’s family have made public social media posts, slamming her actions:
On July 27, the Superior Court began legal proceedings against Hannah:
More information about Hannah’s ‘kidnapping’ has now come out:
Deputies found Hannah in a basement of a friend’s house, shackles on her ankles and a pair of handcuffs hanging on her right wrist.
Hannah told police she faked her disappearance for a manuscript she’s writing, according to a probable cause affidavit. She faces a preliminary charge of false informing in connection to the hoax.
Also charged were Maria Hopper, 34, and Joshua Thomas, 45, whom Potts said were characters in her story. The duo allegedly helped harbor the runaway woman.
Hannah told police that she rehearsed the video for a week prior to her ‘disappearance’. She was found after Maria gave police permission to search her property.
Hannah also said she was planning her disappearance with Maria for at least a week. She made a diary in which she acknowledged she knew her Facebook post would go viral.
During their investigation, police uncovered messages between Maria and Hannah. The conversation reportedly detailed how the kidnapping would go down.
“The tone, content, and context of the messages read similar to a fantasy fiction story,” police wrote in the arrest records.
A second string of messages outlined how Maria was going to pick up Hannah in her vehicle. Also mentioned in the messages were plans to turn off the location tracking on Hannah’s phone.
Hannah told Maria to destroy the SIM card and her phone.
Maria and Joshua arranged a room for Hannah to stay in – they gave her food and drink.
In an interview with police, Maria admitted to picking up Hannah from her house and lying about harboring her. Joshua also said he knew of the kidnapping hoax.
In an interesting twist, Maria Hopper joined our Facebook group on July 26!
The video was posted on Hanna’s personal Facebook page. About the only way you can view it is if you are friends with Hannah.
It’s unusual to me that it hasn’t been leaked though.
No not true I viewed it!
U can hear her phone chirping messages to her. Why doesn’t she answer that person?
AND IF I HAD BEEN ABDUCTED I’D BE A LOT MORE HYSTERICAL. DOWNLOADING GPS APPLICATIONS AND SENDING THE LOCALE TO POLICE N EVERYONE AS WELL AS TEXTS N CALLS TO LEAVE A DIGITAL FOOTPRINT. PULL OUT HAIR N LEAVE IT EVERYWHERE I’D BEEN AS WELL AS BLOOD N SPIT FOR DNA PROOF!
You can hear yelling in the background. Like a child upset maybe? She said it was the same guy in the maroon car from yesterday, but he put her in a truck when he snatched her. I know it would prob be a needle in a haystack bit if they could find store security footage or if someone remembers the make of the car, maybe they could cross reference people in Ohio who own that vehicle in that color who also on a truck. Then narrow it down by height and race.
Sorry she said trunk, not truck. Trying to listen over the family waking up. My apologies. I was also informed that the yelling was from the person recording it. Sorry again
trunk not truck
Yes, it sounded like the kid said fire or liar???
She said “trunk” not truck.
She’s dead
how do you know that?
Why would you say she’s dead?? That’s horrible to say unless you know something everyone else doesn’t know.
Why would you even say something like that?
I really hope you are wrong. This poor girl.
Wow, this is truly Cruel! If you do know something, go to the Police, the family reads these!
How do you know that?
That didn’t age well, genius. She was found very alive.
She said I don’t think THEY know I have a phone so it must be more than one person I’m praying she is found safe
On the flyer, why on earth would they leave out the description of the man as being a black man?!?! That is kind of important information to put out so people are not just looking for any maroon car with any man driving it!!
Although it doesn’t usually seem like a kidnapper would stop at a motel for the night; if it’s true that he’s taking her to Ohio; then the 2 cries out that I hear in the background of a child….could be heard through the thin walls of a room next door.
First the child cried like he or she just woke up; then the child clearly cries out, “Mama”!
Check small motels; although the kidnapper most probably is back on the road by now…..it should at least provide Investigators with a partial route of travel!
how do you know that
this screams hoax to me
If she was out taking pictures, then I would think the person that grabbed her knows she’s got a phone. I’m sure he noticed what she was doing! Then she doesn’t show at all her surrounding if she’s got a phone which has a light on them. Why not show your surroundings! She then says THEY! !! So is there more than one person. Then the loud sound you hear, has to be coming from her phone. If THEY! are near her there going to know right then she’s got a phone! I’m praying this child is ok! I understand at a moment in the critical situation she’s in she’s got to be scared to death. Not thinking right. But something doesn’t sound right with this call. Sending prayers and support for the family and hope she’s found safe and brought home.
She had 2 phones and a camera on her
Has anyone considered an Ohio County, as opposed to the state? What about streets with Ohio in their name? Or worse, Ohio River. She says he said something about Ohio. There could have been more that just the word “Ohio”.
I live in the same town, and there’s an Ohio Street. I wonder if anyone checked that?
I will admit I only know a little about this case from what I’ve read here but I have questions
1. Are you sure there are twins in that family?
In the video she said to tell dad she lived him and a few other names that aren’t mentioned in this post but she doesn’t say to tell her ‘twin’ she loves her too. That is strange to me.
2. Is there really an open case with the police and FBI?
3. Has anyone tried calling the number the twin gave as her contact number?
4. Has anyone verified any of the people listed by name in the family are real people?
I think that is enough for now. Thanks!
I am friends with the family. Yes this is a true real life story. The poor girl has been kidnapped by a black man. Yes the cops and fbi are involved. And yes she is a twin
Looks like she wasn’t kidnapped by a black man. But she did lie and put a target on every black man who drives a maroon vehicle in that area… she’s a disgusting human and should be put in prison.
So you believed the same lie as everyone else? Simple question that everyone should have asked from the start: if she was able to record something, why not use her phone to call 911?
Hopefully she gets her mental health checked.
LMAO this girl is lying for attention FFS.
This sounds fake to me. Pretty much everyone now days have phones so the alleged kidnapper would have checked. She also doesn’t sound very scared to me.
And the fact that she has a twin but never mentions her at all but mentions ppl she works with sounds suspicious to me. Why wouldn’t she tell her twin she loved her too?
I think this is a hoax & I pray I’m right.
None of us know what has happened here. But being that I am the sister of a murder victim, we all need to pray this girl is found and returned to her family safe. She mentions same man as the day b4. Have y’all forgotten Jayme who the guy saw and decided he wanted so he killed her parents and kidnapped her. What’s to say the guy who has taken hannah didnt see her, follow them then sit and wait until she was by herself then take her. Stop thinking the worst about this girl and pray shes alive!!!!!!!
Jayme Closs. Kidnapped for 80 days and made it home safe. A friends sister is Jaymes friend in school and says she’s doing amazing 💙 🦋
If she has a phone and enough of a signal to record an almost 4 minute Facebook video, why would she not call 911 and also just call her mom? Police could then trace the location of the call back and find her. Seems odd for this to be the chosen outlet of contact.
I am glad she was found, but I do think she needs to be sent away for a mental evaluation and charged with false reporting. And saying a black man took her when things are as they are in this country right now could have gotten an innocent person arrested or killed. Shame on her!
if y’all couldn’t tell it was a bold face lie from the beginning, something is wrong!!! she posted a video on facebook, speaking like she’s in a call.. she had a phone to sit & make a 6 minute video & post it to facebook, but couldn’t call 911 where they could track her phone & come get her? i know if i were in fear for my life because i was “kidnapped” or whatever- i wouldn’t be making no damn video..
white privileged attention seeking at its finest.
Just heard about this and watched the video. Right at the beginning I could tell it was fake she was just talking and at one point u could tell she didn’t know what to say. No one would be so calm and just talk like that. Then as I look into it more I see that she made it up and its all fake. Come officers and trained professionals how did u not catch that ahe was not hysterical or truly scared?