An 11-year-old girl from Port Orange, Florida, has been arrested for falsely reporting her friend’s abduction.
The girl sent a text to 911, claiming her 14-year-old friend was kidnapped by an armed man driving a white van on South I-95 in Oak Hill, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. Law enforcement, including multiple deputies and police units, launched a thorough search, but no van was found.
The incident began at 9:45 a.m. when the Sheriff’s Communications Center received the suspicious text message. Over the next hour and a half, the girl continued to provide updates, describing the alleged abductor and stating he was armed. Through investigative measures, authorities tracked the cell phone used for the false report, leading them to a home in Port Orange.
Upon arriving at the Poppy Lane residence at 10:23 a.m., deputies found the girl safe with her family. She confessed that the prank was inspired by a YouTube challenge and she thought it would be amusing.
Sheriff Mike Chitwood expressed his serious concern, highlighting the dangers of such pranks that waste valuable resources meant for genuine emergencies. As a result, the 11-year-old, Ava Rose Langone, faces a felony charge for making a false police report involving the use of a firearm in a violent manner, along with a misdemeanor charge for misuse of 911.
Ava was taken to the Family Resource Center for processing before being transferred to the Volusia Regional Juvenile Detention Center. The sheriff also issued a warning to parents about closely monitoring their children’s social media and internet activities. To assist parents in safeguarding their kids from online dangers, the Volusia Sheriff’s Office will be hosting several community forums starting on Monday.
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