‘I’m Being Held Against My Will’: Police Identify Woman Who Handed Startling Note To Wendy’s Employee

Police began a search for a woman in possible distress after she entered an Atlanta Wendy’s and left a startling note. The note explained that the woman was being held against her will and needed help. The Wendy’s employee immediately called police but the woman left with her alleged captor before police could arrive. Police were able to identify the woman from surveillance footage and spoke with the driver of the truck who is “fully cooperating” with the investigation.

The NY Daily News reports that a woman entered a Wendy’s in Atlanta on Monday and asked for a blank piece of paper. After the employee handed her the paper, the woman wrote “I need help. I’m being held against my will” before promptly leaving the restaurant. The employee called the police who immediately set out to identify the woman who they deemed in possible distress. After securing surveillance video footage, police identified the woman as LaShonda Marie Cortez and were also able to identify the truck driver based on license plate information provided.

The report indicates that the driver was “fully cooperating” with police and says he doesn’t know why LaShonda would say she was being held against her will. He says that the pair had known each other for about a month and that he dropped the woman off about two miles away from the Wendy’s on Monday. Police spoke with the driver first and then began passing out flyers in hopes of finding the missing woman.

Police confirmed this afternoon that LaShonda had been found and was in “good health.” According to 11 Alive, the woman was found earlier this afternoon and determined to be alive and healthy. Police say they are still speaking with LaShonda in a hope of determining why she left the startling note with the Wendy’s employee.

This isn’t the first time that someone has used a fast food restaurant as a means of relaying that they are in distress. As the Inquisitr previously reported, a Florida woman used the Pizza Hut app to call for help. The woman pretended to make a simple pizza order as she was being held at knife-point in her home by her boyfriend. Instead, she used the comments section on the pizza order to ask for help and request the employees call 911. The sheriff’s department responded to the home and were able to rescue the woman and her three children.

Why do you think the woman indicated she was in distress when entering the Wendy’s if she was found safe and in good health?

[Image Credit: Atlanta Police]