Florida girl tells Volusia County deputies she got idea for prank through YouTube challenge
An 11-year-old Florida girl was arrested Wednesday after sending a prank 911 text that said an armed man had kidnapped her friend, later claiming it was part of a YouTube challenge that she thought "would be funny," authorities said.
The incident began at 9:45 a.m., when the girl texted 911 that her 14-year-old friend was abducted by an armed male driving a white van on South I-95 in Oak Hill, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office said.
Multiple deputies responded with assistance from Edgewater, New Smyrna Beach and Port Orange police. Air support was also called in to help search for the van.
The girl texted updated to authorities over the next hour and half, saying she was following the van in a blue Jeep and describing how the male suspect had a gun, the sheriff’s office said.
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The 11-year-old girl can be heard telling deputies, "I’m not going to do this again." (Volusia County Sheriffs Office)
Ultimately, law enforcement found no van and were directed to a home in Port Orange after tracking the cell phone that sent the messages.
Deputies arrived at the home and contacted the girl’s father, who said she was inside with her family.
Officials said that as deputies approached the girl, she was holding her cell phone, which was ringing. When the child answered the phone, the sheriff’s dispatch was on the line.
Deputies with the Volusia County Sheriff's Office traced the cell phone sending the messages to a home in Port Orange, Florida, where they determined an 11-year-old girl was behind the false report. (Peter Titmuss/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images, File)
The girl told deputies she got the idea to prank 911 through a YouTube challenge and thought it "would be funny," according to the sheriff’s office.
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Deputy body-worn camera shows deputies speaking to the girl, telling her she needs to use this incident as a learning experience.
She can be heard telling deputies, "I’m not going to do this again."
The girl, who Fox News Digital is not identifying because she is a minor, was 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.
She was later released to her parents on home detention, FOX35 Orlando reported. She was due to appear in court on Aug. 7.
Authorities warned parents to closely monitor their children’s social media accounts to protect them from dangers online.
"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.
