Kaufman woman turns self in after selfies go viral

KAUFMAN, Texas - A North Texas mother was tracked down with the help of social media and the many selfies she posted.

The Kaufman Police Department took her selfies and reposted them to find the woman accused of shoplifting with her 5-year-old daughter. Detectives say she tried to run over the security guard attempting to stop her.

Before Sun up on Thursday, 25-year-old Megan Boulter turned herself into the Kaufman Police Department after being on the run for 10 days.

Kaufman Police Captain Ed Black says Boulter's bout with law-enforcement started out as simple shoplifting and quickly turned into multiple felony counts of child endangerment, evading arrest and aggravated robbery.

Police say Boulter was caught shoplifting at a Walmart off 175 with her 5-year-old girl on July 3. She ran out of the store with her child, jumped in her car and police say she tried to run over a loss prevention officer and led police on a high-speed chase and got away.

"The child being with her is what put the most pressure on because that angered even her closest friends,” Black said.

The police captain decided to launch an attack on social media, posting a wide variety of pictures Boulter had posted making various faces and different looks.

"Well, she's got a unique style,” Black admitted. “But I knew with the pictures should be easy to find."

Black’s belief paid off. The pictures went viral — not only on social media, but in newspapers all across the country.

"We put pressure on everybody she knew. Her Facebook page, we shared. I think with everybody she knows and a lot of people tagged her in the post,” Black said. “Everybody she knew was calling telling her, ‘you need to go take care of this.’ And I think the pressure finally got to her."

Thanks to social media tips, Black says all week he was one step behind Boulter. On several occasions, police were just an hour or two from catching her.

"Social media is the most powerful tool out there right now. I can't think of anything, as far as law-enforcement, any other tool that works as well as social media,” Black said. “One of our tips that helped us find the child came from a lady in Hawaii. I mean, that right there says it all."

Boulter has been charged with aggravated robbery and child endangerment.