Child Kidnapping Reported To Get Police Attention; It Worked

MIAMI, FL — If Antoinette Rowan had merely told police that her 2014 Hyundai Accent had been stolen, they may not have thrown all of their resources into the investigation.

So, instead the 37-year-old Florida woman allegedly made up a wild story about a man stealing her car with her three-year-old child inside the vehicle. She told police that the incident happened at a Sunoco Gas Station in southwest Miami-Dade County on Sunday.

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If nothing else, Rowan got the attention she allegedly felt her case deserved — and so much more, according to Miami-Dade police.

"The Miami-Dade Police Department arrested Antoinette Rowan for falsely reporting the abduction of her three-year-old child," explained Detective Alvaro Zabaleta.

Now, Rowan of Hollywood, Florida is facing a charge of filing a false report to police.

"According to investigators, Rowan originally called the police and advised that Antonio Monzon stole her vehicle with her child inside," Zabaleta said. "The Miami-Dade Police Department immediately launched an extensive search for the toddler utilizing an array of resources."

Detective Lee Cowart of the Miami-Dade Police Department told Patch that the search had a monetary cost, but also took officers away from other cases.

"Helicopter, multiple detectives and obviously multiple uniform officers," Cowart said of the resources that were used to look for the child. "It's also the time of the investigators that were diverted into following those leads. That's round the clock until you find that child. I'm assuming other agencies assisted as well. A lot of man-hours, personnel, resources."

He said that detectives called off the search when they discovered that the child was home safe with an older sister.

"Investigators interviewed Rowan, who confessed to filing a false police report," Zabaleta added. "She stated that the toddler was never inside the vehicle at the time it was stolen. She admitted that she filed the false report indicating that her three-year-old child had been abducted in hopes that the police would locate her vehicle faster."

Sadly, the black, four-door Hyundai is still missing.

Police are attempting to locate 32-year-old Antonio Monzon of the 10000 block of SW 156 Terrace, Miami in connection with the investigation into the stolen car.

To report a tip, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS (8477) or (866) 471-8477; Visit www.crimestoppersmiami.com and select “Give a Tip” or text CSMD followed by the tip information to 274637.

Antoinette Rowan Photo Courtesy Miami-Dade Police Department