Texas teens arrested over TikTok prank asking elementary schoolers if they ‘wanted to be kidnapped’

Two teenagers in Texas were arrested after allegedly approaching a pair of elementary school children and asking if they “wanted to be kidnapped” as part of a viral TikTok prank, according to police.

Kaine Villarreal, 19, and Lane Burch, 18, both residents of Kyle, Texas, were arrested on charges of terroristic threats last Wednesday. The pair allegedly asked a 7 and 9-year-old walking home from school if they “wanted to be kidnapped.”

The creepy comments spooked the kids, who quickly contacted their parents to let them know about the strange encounter.

The parents then contacted the Kyle Police Department and the teenagers were arrested.

Villarreal and Burch both tried to defend themselves by saying that they were just acting out a TikTok prank that they had seen, according to police.

Kyle PD Public Information Specialist Ashlee Bradshaw told local outlets that the two teens tried the prank once near the school the two children attend.

“Pranks that involve a threat or potential threat to other people or property are illegal,” Bradshaw said.

A letter sent to the Negley Elementary School parents was released by the Hays Consolidated Independent School District. In it, the district’s Chief Communication Officer Tim Savoy praised the children for their quick-thinking and encouraged parents to consider talking with their kids about the importance of keeping vigilant in public.

“We are glad the students are OK and we are proud of them for doing the right thing by immediately reporting this to their parents. Please remember to continue to reinforce teaching your children about stranger danger,” Savoy wrote.

TikTok pranks frequently make headlines for their lunacy.

One trending prank in 2023 landed unlucky Londoners behind bars for trespassing. The trend, which really just served as an excuse to break and enter, saw would-be pranksters attempting to enter random homes just to see if they could.

Another popular trend from 2022 that still crops up every so often saw strangers dressing up as mannequins at Target to see if they could blend in with the model dolls and scare unwitting customers.