Police: Family had 6-year-old boy 'kidnapped' for being nice to strangers

TROY, MO -- Police say a family in Missouri went too far while teaching a young one a lesson about stranger danger.

Relatives of the six-year-old boy say they were concerned about him being too nice to strangers, so they decided to stage a kidnapping, KTVI-TV reports.

The boy's mother, grandmother, aunt and a co-worker of the aunt were all involved in the plot, which included luring the young boy into a van. They then bound the boy's hands and feet with plastic bags, blindfolded him and threatened him with a gun if he didn't stop crying.

The terror didn't end there.

The fake kidnapper held the boy in his own basement. He was stripped naked and told he was being sold into the sex slave trade. They also told him he would never "see his mommy again" and would be "nailed to the wall of a shed."

The ordeal lasted four hours. Relatives stayed in contact with the fake kidnapper via cellphone the whole time.

"The victim remained in the basement for some time before he was unbound and told to go upstairs, where the victim's family lectured him about stranger danger," a police report read.

The boy told teachers what happened and they informed the authorities.

The boy's mother, Elizabeth Hupp of Troy, is charged with felony kidnapping and felony abuse and neglect of a child. The grandmother, Rose Brewer; the aunt, Denise Kroutil; and Firoved are also charged with felonious restraint.

They all maintain their innocence.

"Family members told investigators their primary intent was to educate the victim and felt they did nothing wrong," a police report read.

The boy has now been placed into protective custody.