A Little Egg Harbor Township woman and her adult son were arrested after she allegedly falsely reported her granddaughter missing to distract from a shoplifting.
Police were called to the Walmart to investigate a missing 8-year-old girl.
Donna Hall, 58, told police that her granddaughter was last seen in the jewelry section, and has a tendency to hide.
She told police she was there with her adult daughter and a friend, who she identified as Joseph Volpe.
Hall later said that a friend had taken the girl home, and had been unable to find Hall inside the store, according to the report.
But, instead, employees looking on surveillance tape trying to find the missing girl, instead found "Volpe" — later identified as Hall's 30-year-old son, Nicholas Hall — filling Walmart bags with clothing and candy at the front of the store.
Mother and son were then arrested, both charged with shoplifting. Donna Hall was additionally charged with creating false public alarm. Nicholas Hall was also charged with hindering apprehension, and possession of heroin and drug paraphernalia. He has previous heroin-related convictions, court records show.
