EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, Mo. — The Clay County Prosecutor’s Office has dismissed criminal charges against a former Excelsior Springs police officer who had been accused of falsifying details in an official report following an inmate escape attempt at Excelsior Springs Hospital.
Secilia Sanchez, 34, was charged in February under Missouri statute RSMo 570.095 with filing a false document. The charge was filed after a Clay County Sheriff’s Office investigation concluded that statements in her report did not match hospital surveillance footage.
In a written statement, Prosecuting Attorney Zachary Thompson said the decision to dismiss the case came after a comprehensive review of the evidence.
“A few weeks ago an Excelsior Springs Police Officer was charged with falsifying a police report based on the best available evidence at the time,” Thompson said. “As we do in all cases, we continued reviewing information as the matter proceeded through the system. After careful legal analysis, we determined the evidence did not meet the required elements under Missouri law and dismissed the charges.”
Thompson added that his office “remains dedicated to working collaboratively with law enforcement” and plans to offer voluntary training opportunities to interested officers. He emphasized that “as the charges have been dismissed, Missouri law requires these records be closed.”
The case stemmed from Sanchez’s report about an inmate escape attempt on Nov. 17, 2024. According to the probable cause statement filed by investigators, Sanchez wrote that the inmate struck her in the face with a door, caused her microphone to fall from her vest, pushed hospital staff and patients, and damaged exit doors. Investigators said video footage contradicted those statements.
When questioned, Sanchez said she did not recall whether the door struck her and admitted she had written the report without reviewing body camera or surveillance footage
During an interview with the Excelsior Citizen in September 2025, Excelsior Springs Police Chief Gregory Dull confirmed Sanchez was suspended after the incident and later resigned. He said the department referred the case to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the Prosecutor’s Office for review.
“If we’re going to charge people with this, and then we have somebody who’s essentially doing the same thing, I’m not going to just sweep it under the rug,” Dull said.
Under Missouri law, filing a false document is typically a Class D felony, which can carry prison time, fines, and restitution. However, as Thompson noted, the dismissal reflects his office’s position that the evidence did not satisfy the required legal standard.
“As the charges have been dismissed, Missouri law requires these records be closed,” Thompson concluded.
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