Today, Audrey Seiler, the 20 year old college sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Madison appeared here in Dane County circuit court to plead guilty to faking her own abduction. This cost the Madison Police dept. about $90,000 after all was said and done with manpower and expenses.

After claiming that a disassociative episode of depression caused her to use poor judgment by staging this kidnapping hoax, the judge sentenced her to 3 months probation (helping a missing children's organization), and ordered her to pay back only $9,000 of the cost of the police manhunt. Not only did she cause a pricey national stirring of fear and outrage, I feel this case has now been made a mockery with such a light sentence. By lying to police, Audrey was charged with 2 misdemeanors, which the judge agreed to erase from her criminal record if she completes her probation.

In my opinion, she has gotten a very light sentence that almost seems like a slap on the hand. Why not make her spend 5 nights in jail to make up for her 5 missing days, as well as pay a higher restitution to our police department? I think it is great she is helping the missing children's organization for her probation, but this still doesn't seem like enough. Audrey also seemed rather oblivious to the seriousness of these charges and walked into the courtroom in confidence, which doesn't really support her feelings of grief and remorse.

With this happening here in my hometown, it is a subject that everyone is talking about! I just thought I'd ask my fellow pixies...

Do you feel Audrey's sentence was fair, too light, or too heavy? How might you change her punishment?

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Though dreams can be deceiving, like faces are to hearts; they serve for sweet relieving when fantasy and reality lie too far apart.-Fiona Apple