PORT ORGANGE, Fla. (WJW) — Police in Florida said they arrested an 11-year-old girl after she texted 911 to “falsely report” that her friend was kidnapped by an armed man driving a white van.
Volusia Sheriff’s Office posted body camera footage of the arrest on Facebook. In the video, an officer can be heard saying, “This is going to be an opportunity for you to turn this into a learning experience. This is not something you’re going to carry with you for the rest of your life.”
According to the post, the child reported that her 14-year-old friend had been abducted and said that she was following in a blue Jeep.
Officials say multiple deputies responded to the call and began searching for the suspected vehicle, but said “no van was found.”
For the next hour and a half, police said, the girl texted updates, including a description of a suspect. Eventually, officers said they were able to track the cell phone used to text 911 to a home in Port Orange, Florida. When officers arrived at the home, they talked to the child’s father, who said she was inside with her family.
“As deputies approached the girl, she was holding her cell phone, which was ringing as she walked out to meet the deputies. When answered, Volusia Sheriff’s Dispatch was on the line and deputies verified they were on scene,” wrote officials in the Facebook post.
Police said the girl told them she got the idea to prank 911 through a YouTube challenge and thought it “would be funny.”
“This kind of prank activity is dangerous – we’re going to investigate every incident but today it wasted valuable resources that might have helped someone else who legitimately needed our help,” said Sheriff Mike Chitwood in the post.
Police said the girl is now charged with making a false police report concerning the use of a firearm in a violent manner, a felony, and misuse of 911, a misdemeanor.
In the video posted to social media, the girl appeared to be in handcuffs, visibly upset, and said, “I’m not going to do this again.”
The sheriff warns parents about the importance of closely monitoring kids’ use of social media.
