Mistaken Arrest Cautions North Platte Media

Media outlets in North Platte are likely to be more cautious after last week's revelation that a 17-year-old girl had been mistakenly arrested and held in jail for a week.

Amanda Sylvester might still be in jail, facing criminal charges that included aiding and abetting a robbery, were it not for an anonymous tip to a Crimestoppers hotline, according to a story in the North Platte Bulletin.

Her arrest and arraignment stemmed from mistaken identity, according to Lieutenant Rick Ryan of the North Platte Police Department. One of the men involved in the robbery of a Kwik Shop identified Sylvester through a photo, but said he didn't know her name.

A week later, the Crimestopper tip led to the arrest of Kayce Schildhauer, 19, of North Platte.

Ryan said the women have very similar looks, and that the mistake was easily understood because of it.

"They have the same color hair, they're about the same size and they wear the same earrings," Ryan said. "But they are two different people."

Her guardian said she was concerned about the way Sylvester had been treated by the system -- especially the fact that she was arraigned as an adult.

Investigators brought Schildhauer in for questioning, which resulted in her arrest, Ryan said.

Sylvester's photograph and name had previously been used by local media, informing the community that she was a suspect. According to The Bulletin, the pictures (above) of Schildhauer and Sylvester were taken from photos on file with the Department of Motor Vehicles that were provided by North Platte police.

"There have been some really nasty, ugly, things said about Amanda that never should have been allowed," Ryan said.

Police Chief Martin Gutschenritter apologized for the error, adding, "There is a lesson to be learned here, that everything isn't always what it appears."