A school in Glanainn has been closed since last Tuesday due to concerns around “fae kidnappings” which have since been revealed as a prank carried out by a group of teenagers. Seven children between the ages of 13 and 15 were reported missing between Saturday 28th and Monday 30th March with “signs of fae interference” present at multiple sites. All seven children were found inside a garage conversion belonging to a 16-year-old classmate on Friday morning, who was initially arrested on charges of kidnapping. Following the arrest, several of the children admitted plotting to fake their disappearance and planting fake “evidence” suggesting they were taken by fae.
The “evidence” included a mushroom circle which had been transplanted into one child’s garden; glitter poured over a bedroom; a doll made up to resemble one child’s appearance with missing eyes; and a bushel of rotten apples placed on the doorstep of one family. The children, who are all members of Grianclach Secondary School’s Mythology Club, admitted planting evidence with the plan to stay in their friend’s garage conversion for “about a week” before returning home. Their 16-year-old classmate has lived independently in the conversion next to his grandmother’s house since the new year. The grandmother is reportedly deaf and was unaware of the presence of other children.
The disappearances caused a panic in the local town of Grianclach, with all schools in the town being closed due to the concerns and most children being kept indoors. The town also ran out of salt of all kinds, from table salt to road salt, with some restaurants reporting stolen salt shakers and sachets. Among some superstitious traditions, salt is seen as one way to prevent fae from crossing boundaries. Iron objects were also in great demand, with one enterprising resident selling rusted iron fence posts for 500 Glannish Crowns a piece.
Local authorities tried to urge calm, stating that there was “no scientific evidence for the existence of fae”; however around 62% of the Glannish population still believe the existence of fae to be at least “possible”. Non-believers, however, joined in the panic but attributed the cause to more earthly crime. Since the revelation that the matter was a hoax, parents groups in Grianclach have called for stricter disciplinary measures in schools and railed against alleged “modern parenting” techniques of their peers.
After the confession by the children was verified, the 16-year-old classmate was released by the authorities, but all eight have been suspended from school pending further disciplinary hearings. They have all also been given personal talks from police officers about the dangers of perpetrating this kind of hoax and the history of child kidnapping in Glanainn. Grianclach Secondary will reopen on Monday alongside the four primary schools in the town and surrounding area.
