DETROIT – A Troy man has been charged with making a false report of a felony after police said he lied about being carjacked while his 7-month-old child was inside his vehicle, an incident that prompted a large police response.
However, investigators said follow-up interviews conducted the next day revealed a different sequence of events.
According to the Detroit Police Department, Tryban had stopped his vehicle to speak with a woman he knew.
While the two were talking on the woman’s porch, another person got into the unattended vehicle and drove away with the child still inside.
Police said the investigation determined no carjacking had occurred because the driver had voluntarily left the vehicle before it was taken.
Investigators submitted their findings to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, which authorized the false report charge.
Infant recovered safe after hour-long search
The incident began shortly before noon July 10 near Glenwood Avenue and Chalmers Street on Detroit’s east side.
Police spokesperson Jasmin Barmore said Tryban initially reported a man approached his vehicle, pulled him from the car and drove away with his 7-month-old son still strapped into the back seat.
An alert was sent to law enforcement agencies across the area.
Michigan State Police located the stolen black sedan shortly thereafter in the 19500 block of Edmore Drive, where troopers found the vehicle parked inside a garage.
Detroit police’s Commercial Auto Theft Section responded to the scene and found the infant inside the vehicle.
“The baby has been successfully recovered, safely unharmed,” Barmore said during a news briefing. “He has been taken down to Children’s Hospital, been examined, and reunited back with his family.”
Police said the child was missing for about an hour and five minutes.
Barmore said the boy appeared to be in good condition.
“I actually saw a picture of the baby, and the baby is doing fine,” Barmore said. “He was actually smiling.”
Suspect remains at large
The suspect fled before officers arrived and remains at large.
Police described the suspect as a Black man between 5’9” and 5’10” tall with a slim build, a short haircut and all-black clothing.
Investigators have not released additional details about why the stolen vehicle was left at the location where it was recovered.
The investigation into the vehicle theft remains ongoing.
False report carries serious consequences
Detroit police reminded the public that providing false information about a crime can lead to criminal charges.
“Making a false report of a felony is a serious offense that can cause unnecessary police response, wasting resources that could be needed for emergencies,” the department said in a statement.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Detroit Police Department’s Commercial Auto Theft Section at 313-596-2555 or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.
All tips to Crime Stoppers are anonymous.