Law Schools

Student Found Bound And Gagged At Law School Faked Her Own Kidnapping

What would you do to avoid having to take your final exams? Would you fake your own kidnapping?

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It’s almost finals time, and you know what that means: students across the country are becoming unhinged as their worlds seem to slowly unravel around them. Armed with thousands of rainbow-colored highlighters and note tabs, these students are doing all they can to stave off the breakdowns lurking in the joyless corners of their minds should the feeling of unpreparedness begin to set in. Dark times await those who falter in their studies.

What would you do to avoid having to take your final exams? Would you fake your own kidnapping? If you’re in the minority who would actually consider doing something as extreme as fabricating your own kidnapping, you’re not alone, because that seems to be exactly what happened at the University of Houston Law Center earlier this week.

On Monday evening, a student was found bound and gagged in a bathroom at Houston Law near the school’s library. Several police cars were called to the scene as well as an ambulance. She claimed that several masked men kidnapped her and later dumped her at the law school, but she had no recollection of the events that occurred in between. Soon after, it was discovered that this disturbed student made the whole thing up.

Here’s an email everyone at Houston Law received from from Dean Leonard Baynes:

Dear Faculty, Staff, and Students:

There have been unsubstantiated reports of an abduction of a student at the Law Center today.

The University of Houston Police Department has now confirmed that no abduction or crime of violence took place. The student was experiencing a personal crisis. The matter has been closed.

Safety is a priority of my administration, and faculty, staff, and students should remain vigilant at all times.

UH offers a security escort service for those who study or work in the evening or any time safety is of concern. You can call 3-3333 to request for a UHPD Security Officer or Police Officer to walk with you to your vehicle or to another location on campus. You can also call the same number to report any suspicious or unusual activity.

Regards,

Leonard M. Baynes
Dean and Professor of Law

Despite the fact that no kidnapping had actually occurred, students were shaken, a moot court tournament was disrupted, and rumors began to fly about this student’s mental state. Others blamed this student’s breakdown on the impending doom of finals approaching, even though it was later revealed that she may not be a law student. For what it’s worth, some believe this unknown student was a Houston Law 1L.

Houston Law held a town hall meeting to set the record straight, where a member of the University’s police force explained what happened, in great detail. The security officer said that no evidence was available on campus cameras to substantiate the student’s story, and that she was a “student in crisis who taped herself up in the bathroom. She was thinking about committing suicide. She panicked during the situation and came up with this story.”

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UPDATE (3:00 p.m.): Despite its newsworthiness, we’ve removed the video taken at the University of Houston Law Center’s town hall meeting at the request of the law student who filmed it. The source who sent it to us was unauthorized to do so.

We’ve reached out to Houston Law to see if the administration has any further comments to add to this unfortunate tale. If and when we receive a response, we will update this post.

Law students, if you’re anxious about exam season — or anything at all — there are friends, family, and colleagues you can call. There’s no need to fake your own kidnapping.

If you’re depressed and in need help, or if you’re feeling traumatized by recent events, please call LawLifeline, a resource for law school mental health, at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). If you’re thinking about hurting yourself, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) or look up an assistance program in your state.

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