Missouri family plots fake kidnapping to teach child about stranger danger

A Missouri family plotted to have a six-year-old boy kidnapped to teach him a lesson about strangers because he was “too nice” to people, officials said Thursday.

The Lincoln County, Mo. Sheriff’s Office learned of a kidnapping in Troy, Mo. on Feb. 4.

Investigators learned that the plot was made before Feb. 2 when 38-year-old Denise Kroutil approached 23-year-old co-worker Nathan Firoved about the kidnapping plan. She allegedly asked him to kidnap her nephew to “scare” him. The victim’s mother, 25-year-old Elizabeth Hupp, and grandmother, 58-year-old Rose Brewer, agreed with the plan to teach the boy a lesson.

Firoved, Brewer and Koutil were charged with kidnapping, felonious restraint, and abuse/neglect of a child. Hupp was charged with kidnapping and abuse/neglect of a child.

Authorities said Firoved parked his pickup truck by the boy’s bus stop and waited for him to be dropped off after school. He then lured the six-year-old into his truck and drove off.

The frightened young boy was told he would never see his mother again and he would be “nailed to the wall of a shed.” The boy began to cry and Firoved pulled out a handgun and threatened the child.

Investigators said Firovfed bound the boy with plastic bags and covered the child’s face with a jacket. He then drove the boy to his own home and left him in the basement.

The boy’s aunt walked down into the basement, pulled the victim’s pants down and shouted he could be sold into sex slavery.

A few hours later, the boy was unbound and lectured on stranger danger.

The victim told school authorities Wednesday, who then contacted the Missouri Division of Family Services.

The family members told investigators their intent was to educate the child on stranger danger and felt they had done nothing wrong.

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