North Carolina Amber Alert: Police ask public to stop sharing rumors about Hania Aguilar
LUMBERTON, North Carolina -- Police officials in North Carolina are encouraging the public to stop sharing misinformation about the Amber Alert case that has rocked the community for more than a week, saying it is hampering their investigation.
On Tuesday, officials received a report that a girl who looked like Hania Aguilar may be in Charlotte.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department is looking into the report, but they said there is no reason to believe it is accurate.
The FBI, at a news conference, also announced that it increased the reward for information in Hania Aguilar's disappearance from $15,000 to $25,000. With the $5,000 Gov. Roy Cooper promised from the state, that brings the total to $30,000.
The 13-year-old Aguilar has been missing since around 7 a.m. on November 5, when police said she was abducted at Rosewood Mobile Home Park off East Elizabethtown Road while she was waiting to go to school.
Authorities said she was forced into a green SUV, which was found abandoned on November 8.
Related -- Exclusive: Mother of kidnapped girl has faith daughter will be found safe
Lumberton Police Chief Michael McNeill stressed that the rumors being spread on social media are making it difficult for them to their jobs.
"We need these rumors stopped," he said. "It makes it harder to find Hania."
Chief McNeill said they also need to see more surveillance video from around the area the SUV was found in order to pinpoint when it was abandoned.
He added that officers are working around the clock to bring Hania home.
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