The author discusses a case where an 11-year-old girl was arrested and charged with a felony and misdemeanor for making a false police report and misusing 9-1-1. She had made a fake phone call to 9-1-1, claiming her friend had been kidnapped, as part of a YouTube challenge prank. The author argues that this incident highlights the dangers of children emulating online pranks and challenges, which can lead to serious consequences. They also criticize internet pranksters and YouTube challenges for promoting reckless behavior and influencing children's perception of what is acceptable and okay. The author concludes by expressing concern about the impact of online content on children's behavior and the need for parents to take responsibility for monitoring their children's internet use.
Here are the key facts from the text:
1. An 11-year-old girl made a fake phone call to 9-1-1, claiming her friend had been kidnapped.
2. The girl later admitted to police that she thought it would be funny and was inspired by a YouTube challenge.
3. The girl was charged with making a false police report, a felony, and misuse of 9-1-1, a misdemeanor.
4. The incident wasted valuable resources from the police department, which responded to the fake kidnapping.
5. The girl's father was upset and said she would learn a lesson from the experience.
6. According to the U.S. Dairy Innovation Center, about 7% of Americans believe that chocolate milk comes from brown cows.
7. Approximately 16.4 million Americans believe that chocolate milk comes from brown cows.
8. Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood stated that a massive police response was launched due to the fake kidnapping report.
9. A woman named Carly Russell led police on a wild goose chase about a kidnapping that never happened.
10. Carly Russell admitted that her story was a lie, but has not been charged yet.
11. The president has stated that false reports, especially those that require a massive department response, will be taken seriously and punished accordingly.