Posted on 04/30/2005 6:35:35 AM PDT by kellynla
Duluth bride-to-be who vanished just days before her wedding turned up in New Mexico and fabricated a tale of abduction before admitting Saturday that she had gotten cold feet and "needed some time alone," police said.
Jennifer Wilbanks, 32, was in police custody more than 1,420 miles from her home on what was supposed to be her wedding day.
"It turns out that Miss Wilbanks basically felt the pressure of this large wedding and could not handle it," said Duluth Police Chief Randy Belcher. He said there would be no criminal charges.
Wilbanks, whose disappearance set off a nationwide hunt, called her fiance, John Mason, from a pay phone early Saturday and told him that she had been kidnapped while jogging three days before, authorities said. Her family rejoiced that she was safe, telling reporters that the media coverage apparently got to the kidnappers.
But Wilbanks soon recanted, according to police.
Ray Schultz, chief of police in Albuquerque, said Wilbanks "had become scared and concerned about her impending marriage and decided she needed some time alone." He said she traveled to Las Vegas by bus before going to Albuquerque.
"She's obviously very concerned about the stress that she's been through, the stress that's been placed on her family," he said. "She is very upset."
The scene at the house Wilbanks shared with Mason went from jubilant, with Mason hopping from one TV interview to the next and joking about meeting Sean Hannity, to more subdued.
Everyone but immediate family was told to leave the house, and the blinds were drawn and the front door closed. Police put up crime scene tape to keep people away.
"Having cold feet is a joy compared to what the alternative might have been," friend Melinda Larson, who had planned to attend the wedding...
(Excerpt) Read more at ajc.com ...
You sound like a bright girl but I always thought you were a guy. LOL
Again,
This selfish brat should have called her parents instead of putting them and her fiance through HELL! Not to mention the costs of police depts. throughout GA!
I'm sure Georgians don't appreciate their tax dollars being wasted looking for this immature brat!
I told my wife the same thing this morning when I saw her photos on Fox. That woman looks crazy!
True. He is immeasurably better off that she pulled this stunt a few days before the wedding rather than a few days after.
Sometimes the bridal showers are broken down into categories: "The Linens Shower", "The Cookware Shower", "The Tableware Shower" on and on.
All thinking runaways will cover their tracks.
Heck yeah, she should be arrested & prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. 32 years old is old enough to take responsibility. All she had to do before she took off, was leave a note saying she needed time to herself. Problem solved.
15 years is old enough to leave a note too, but plenty of adolescents split. And the search for them is also costly. Do you let any of them off the hook?
My point exactly.
Spend less $$ on the wedding and spend more time on:
a) picking the right one.
b) making it work after the gala.
/soapbox
****************
Well said.
Lying to the police and claiming to have been abducted is a pretty serious crime. She had several days to decide what to do when this hit the media. She decided to try and lie her way out of it. She should be prosecuted.
Who's the luckiest guy in the world? It's Willbanks ex-fiance. Wow, just think how lucky he is to have found out that the woman/child he was about to marry was a kook in the nick of time. Whew!!!!
Headline: GA Mother abandons her young children. Just needed some time to herself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Who, except the very, very rich invite 600 people to a wedding. I'd have trouble coming up with 100 people to invite. 14 bridesmaids????????????????????? Absolute lunacy!!!!!
They probably hired United Van Lines to move the thousands of wedding and bridal shower gifts. 600 people plus others who couldn't attend but wanted to send a gift!!! GGGeeeessssshhhhh!
So what is the postage for returning several thousand gifts???? $100,000?????????????????
It's always been my personal ambition to runaway to...........................NEW MEXICO????????????????????????????? This broad definitely needs a check-up from the neck-up!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Please dear God, never allow this crazy woman to reproduce!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you.
I hope it made - at least a few - stop and think.
wouldn't the Duluth Ga PD bear major responsibility for wasting all this money and reaources prior to the 72 hour missing person rule?
Since hubby-to-be's daddy is a local judge, and granddaddy is some famous doctor locally, there would be a serious problem with the municipality trying to deny favoritism unless they routinely begin an all-out fiasco whenever ANYONE goes "missing".
I once had a crush
on a Freeper, but never
said anything cause
I just wasn't sure
it was a girl . . . (They got banned
so I'll never know!)
"No coozie is leaving me at no church, after decorating the whole town at a cost of $40."
- Buford T. Justice
West Bound and Down BUMP! ;^)
Pukin,....you mean "He should have killed her!"" You da man!
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