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Boy prank calls Ark. 911 center over 100 times

Officials said the 13-year-old boy sometimes reported false emergencies, and just hung up in other calls

By EMS1 Staff

LONOKE COUNTY, Ark. — A boy prank called 911 more than 100 times in just a few days.

KARK reported that the Lonoke County 911 center was plagued with prank calls from the same 13-year-old boy over the span of five days, according to the Lonoke County Sheriff’s Department.

Dispatcher Amber Duerson said prank calls take up precious time because she has to treat every call as a potential emergency.

“Whether you’re telling me the truth or not, I have to treat you like you are,” Duerson said. “I can’t put you on hold and answer another 911 call because there’s a chance you’re telling the truth.”

Sheriff’s Captain David Bufford said the boy’s first call appeared to be a real emergency, and then the phony calls kept coming in as he reported fake emergencies at various addresses from inactive cellphones.

“It went from medicals to kidnappings all the way to armed disturbances,” Capt. Bufford said.

Capt. Bufford added that children often accidentally call 911, but dispatchers are able to resolve the issue by talking to their parents.

“We do have very young children. I don’t know who they’re trying to call but they’ll call 911,” he said.

Capt. Bufford said the Sheriff’s Department plans on filing charges against the boy.

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