Deputies in Florida have released bodycam footage of their arrest of an 11-year-old girl, who faces felony charges for a stunt she allegedly told authorities was sparked by a YouTube challenge.
Deputies in Florida have released bodycam footage of their arrest of an 11-year-old girl, who faces felony charges for a stunt she allegedly told authorities was sparked by a YouTube challenge.
Video from the Volusia Sheriff’s Office shows the child surrounded by deputies in uniform, telling her to “stay calm” and that “nothing’s gonna happen” to her while they place her under arrest. Her face has been blurred in the footage (below).
“I’m telling you right now, you’re gonna take this as a lesson at 11 years old that if you do something stupid in the future, you’re gonna enjoy those cuffs,” one deputy tells her, as she replies, “I’m not gonna do this again.”
Another adds: “This is going to be an opportunity for you to turn this into a learning experience. This is not something you’re gonna carry with you for the rest of your life.”
The girl, whose name TooFab is not releasing because she is a minor, faces charges of making a false police report concerning the use of a firearm in a violent manner, a felony, and misuse of 911, a misdemeanor.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the girl allegedly texted 911 on Wednesday to report “that her friend was kidnapped by an armed male driving a white van.” Though deputies and officers from a number of nearby towns responded to the report, no van was found.
Per authorities, the girl continued to text updates following her initial report, claiming she was following the kidnapping suspect and her friend in a blue Jeep; Deputies claim she provided them with a description of the suspect and said he had a gun. As this was happening, the Sheriff’s Office also traced the cell phone making the texts and showed up at the girl’s home — calling the phone as they arrived.
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“As deputies approached the girl, she was holding her cell phone, which was ringing as she walked out to meet the deputies,” said the Sheriff’s Office in a release. “When answered, Volusia Sheriff’s Dispatch was on the line and deputies verified they were on scene.”
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the girl said she “got the idea to prank 911 through a YouTube challenge and thought it ‘would be funny.'” Sheriff Mike Chitwood, however, call the stunt “dangerous” and added that it “wasted valuable resources” of his and other departments.
The girl was transferred to juvenile detention center before being released to her parents on home detention on Thursday morning. Per Fox Orlando, the state will investigate and determine whether formal charges will be filed. Her next court date has been set for August 7.
The Sheriff’s Office, meanwhile, is using this situation as a warning for parents to monitor how their children use social media.
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