A woman has been accused of faking her own murder after she was discovered alive and well, despite telling a pal she could be dead.
Margaret Frances Elizabeth Sweeney, 37, was arrested on Monday (August 21) by police in Franklin, North Carolina, after cops called of an urgent search for the missing woman when she was found in the next town over.
Police launched an investigation into Sweeney's "disappearance" on Friday (August 18) after a pal received an anonymous tip-off saying she had either already been murdered or was going to be murdered.
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However it only took a day for police to locate her and discover she did not appear to be in danger.
After the woman was found, Sergeant Randy Dula continued to probe the anonymous tip-off that prompted the search and it has since been alleged Sweeney herself made the third-party false report to her chum last week.
"Sweeney's actions caused our department, as well as other departments, many hours of work which could have been spent on other matters," Franklin Police Department (FPD) said.
"Family, friends, and the community as a whole were also very concerned and worried about Sweeney's welfare."
Sweeney has now been charged with causing a false report to a police station, false report of death or serious injury by telephonic communication, and obstructing law enforcement officers.
Police have not yet disclosed any possible motive the accused may have had for allegedly faking her own death.
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The case has been compared to a similar story which saw 25-year-old Carlee Russell claim to have gone missing last month.
Russell seemingly vanished on July 13 calling emergency services to report seeing a toddler walking by a motorway.
She initially claimed a man had appeared from a patch of nearby woodland to check on the toddler, before picking Russell up and forcing her into a car.
She then said she'd been blindfolded and made to undress.
However since then she has admitted to fabricating the tale. She is now set to appear in court for an initial hearing in October.
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