Uvalde Foundation released another statement yesterday.
Frank Marino is the Director of the Search and Rescue team, and told TV20 that when he heard this, he was bothered because their work is all from volunteers and donations.
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The Uvalde Foundation for Kids released a statement explaining that they were considering pressing charges against Speight and his mother. The Marion County Search and Rescue volunteer group Director says he also discovered the foundation may also be seeking reimbursements.
Frank Marino is the Director of the Search and Rescue team, and told TV20 that when he heard this, he was bothered because their work is all from volunteers and donations.
He says he saw comments from the Uvalde Foundation for kids questioning how much efforts costs to search for Speight and says they may seek reimbursement.
“Number one is how they got involved because they’re located in Texas, and I know at the time the incident was happening, the sheriff’s department was not calling for volunteers, and one of the major rules on a search and rescue team is you do not self deploy,” said Marino.
“October 8, 2025
(Texas/Florida/National)
The Uvalde Foundation For Kids today released a significant update and statement regarding the now-canceled Amber Alert for 17-year-old Caden Speight, confirming they are currently awaiting word from law enforcement officials as to whether criminal charges will be filed against the teen for filing a false report and/or his mother for obstruction of justice. The Foundation is simultaneously weighing the filing of civil charges in the matter.
The foundation, which withdrew its search support and reward offer on Sept. 26 after law enforcement updates indicated the incident was fabricated by the teen, underscored the urgent need for a conclusive resolution and accountability.
“It has been days since the Amber Alert was canceled. The continued delay in resolving this case is a critical impediment to justice and a clear disrespect for the emergency resources that were massively diverted,” said Daniel Chapin, founder of the Uvalde Foundation For Kids. “If the teen’s mother continues to refuse to allow detectives to interview Caden, she is actively obstructing a legitimate police investigation into a case that wasted countless taxpayer dollars and ignited community fear under the guise of an abduction and shooting.”
The foundation, which initially mobilized extensive resources including volunteer search teams and a sophisticated dark web threat assessment team, affirmed that it will pursue formal charges of obstruction of justice to be filed by Marion County authorities should the mother maintain her refusal to permit the interview.
The Foundation had previously stated over the weekend that it would press for charges of filing a false report against the teen if the incident was confirmed to be a fabrication.
“Our priority is to restore the integrity of the Amber Alert system and ensure accountability for the egregious waste of emergency resources,” Chapin continued. “The massive resources—from volunteer hours to law enforcement mobilization—that were reserved for a child in genuine peril were squandered. This cannot be ignored. Every day without a full account is a burden on the Marion County community and law enforcement.”
Connecting False Reports to School Swatting Incidents: A History of Withdrawal
Chapin drew a sharp parallel between the false Amber Alert and the rising epidemic of school swatting incidents, a dangerous form of false reporting intended to draw a massive law enforcement response.
“This entire incident, from the manufactured threat of violence to the massive mobilization of emergency personnel, mirrors the tactics of school swatting—it’s a deliberate abuse of the system that puts lives at risk and diverts critical resources from real crises,” Chapin stated. “When an Amber Alert is used as a hoax, it diminishes the public’s trust and response time when a child is genuinely in danger. Accountability here is essential, not just for the waste of resources, but to send a clear message that this type of false reporting, whether it’s a fake kidnapping or a school bomb threat, will be met with the full force of the law.”
“The decision to withdraw from a case is always painful, but our duty is to victims in genuine peril and to the integrity of emergency response systems,” Chapin concluded. “When a case deviates from the facts to the point where it becomes a clear fabrication, we must redirect our resources to verified emergencies. We are not a platform for cover-ups or hoaxes, which only serve to desensitize the public and delay help for children who are truly missing.”
The foundation continues to monitor the investigation and stands by its commitment to advocate for formal charges against those responsible."
