OLATHE, KS — A Johnson County couple is facing misdemeanor charges after staging a fake kidnapping to avoid attending a family member’s gender reveal party, prompting a multi-agency response that included two K-9 units, a helicopter, and a hostage negotiator who was reportedly “furious” when he learned the truth.

Derek Goss, 31, and Miranda Goss, 29, allegedly sent a series of increasingly frantic text messages to family members on Saturday afternoon claiming they had been abducted from a Target parking lot by “two guys in ski masks” and were being held in “a warehouse or something.” Family members called 911 immediately.

The Reveal Nobody Asked For

Authorities launched a full-scale search involving the Olathe Police Department, Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, and Kansas Highway Patrol. A helicopter was dispatched. Detectives pinged the couple’s cell phones and traced them to a Buffalo Wild Wings on South Ridgeview Road, where Derek and Miranda were found in a corner booth sharing a plate of garlic parmesan wings and watching the Jayhawks game.

“They had loaded potato skins. They were having a great time. Meanwhile, I had 40 officers, a chopper, and a dog named Sergeant Biscuit deployed across three zip codes.” — Lt. Aaron Whitfield, Olathe PD

When questioned, Miranda reportedly told officers, “You don’t understand — it was going to be one of the ones with the cannon, and last time the cannon set their dog on fire. We panicked.” Derek added, “We were going to un-kidnap ourselves after the party was over. The timeline was solid.”

The couple was booked on charges of filing a false report and misuse of emergency services. Their bookings on JailReport.lol have sparked a vigorous comment section debate, with a slight majority siding with the Gosses. The gender reveal party proceeded without them. It was a boy. The cannon worked fine this time.