A report of a woman being held hostage, which drew Lakewood crisis negotiators to an apartment complex in the middle of the night, ends with no crisis, and with the alleged hostage facing a criminal count.

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Evelia Morales, 30, of the township, is charged with second-degree circulating a false report involving a hostage situation, accordong to Lakewood PD Sergeant Gregory Staffordsmith.

Police said that a woman entered headquarters at about 3:15 AM, and said that relative sent her a text in which she described being a domestic violence victim, and being held against her will by her boyfriend.

Officers Jeffrey Emmons and Caitlyn Kicki arrived at the Kennedy Boulevard Apartments, and were unable to initiate contact with anyone inside the unit, police said. The Lakewood PD Special Response Team and the department's crisis negotiators, Sergeants Robert and Jeannette Shimonovich, subsequently arrived.

Morales exited the apartment, unhurt, at about 6:30 PM, police said. They did not identify the boyfriend or the woman who reported the text or her relationship to Morales, nor did they disclose whether Morales was alone in the apartment.

Charges are accusations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless, and until, found guilty in a court of law.

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