An 11-year-old girl from Florida found herself in a significant amount of trouble after making a fake phone call to 911, claiming her friend had been kidnapped.
The girl, who thought it would be funny, was later admonished by the police, who didn't share her sense of humor.
The Prank
The girl, who gave a fake name, texted 911 to report that her friend had been abducted by a stranger in a white van.
She claimed she was following the van on the interstate in another vehicle.
Over the next 30 minutes, she provided updates on the supposed kidnapping, including texts such as "he is tying her up" and "he's armed with a gun". She urged the police to "hurry up please".
The Consequences
The police tracked the girl's cell phone and went to her parents' home near Daytona Beach.
The parents were surprised to find out that their 11-year-old daughter was behind the prank.
The girl confessed, stating that she got the idea to prank 911 from a YouTube challenge and thought it would be funny.
Her father was understandably upset and hoped that this incident would serve as a lesson for his daughter.
"At 11 years old, if you do something stupid in the future, you're going to enjoy those cuffs," he warned.
Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood expressed his concern about the massive police response that the prank had triggered.
"What happens if we crash into somebody and somebody loses their life?" he asked.
He hoped that this incident would scare kids into not doing something similar and serve as a life-teaching moment for other young people.
Legal Implications
The child was charged with making a false police report, which is a felony, and misuse of 911, which is a misdemeanor.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the serious consequences that can result from what may seem like a harmless prank.