NOT THE SHARPEST KNIFE IN THE DRAWER: Parents Texted About Phony Teen Abduction
After receiving a text message from their 16-year-old daughter that she had been kidnapped and did not know where she was, her parents understandably called the police. Fortunately for the family and unfortunately for anyone else who called 9-1-1 during the five hours that police resources were unnecessarily tied up, the text was a ploy to avoid being punished for staying out with her friends, reports San Jose Mercury News:
The girl was found at 7:59 p.m., according to department spokesman Officer Jose Garcia, when an officer spotted her riding her bicycle two blocks from home. …
Garcia said that the hunt for her involved seven police units, one detective, two supervisors, and dispatchers calling hospitals. It also meant calling a volunteer search and rescue team to be ready and preparing to launch the Santa Clara County Sheriff's helicopter.
Unfortunately, Garcia said children lie too often to their parents to avoid getting punished, and too often, police are called in to help in these type of non-emergency situations "more than we would like.'' …
When the teen finally returned home, she was cited for making a false report and released to her parents, who couldn't be immediately located to find out what her at-home punishment will be.
How about this: Taking away her cell phone until her 18th birthday, and having her spend her non-school hours volunteering at a local crime victim support group.
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