8 year old makes over 100 prank calls to 911, and still not charged

Stating that the parents should be criminally liable? How is that absurd? They are sane enough to have a child but not manage it is criminal negligence. Other peoples lives could have been lost because of this problem child.

I think if anyone is liable in this situation, it is the police. Let me explain. It took them over 100 calls to trace the calls finally? I was under the impression that ALL calls to 911 were traced in case it was a real emergency and the line went dead. I know for a fact that if you hang up on 911, they call you back. And if you don't answer, they send a squad car to investigate. Why wasn't normal procedure done in this case?

Even if the phone had no service, they knew what the phone's number was surely which would able them to track it down. This just doesn't make sense.

Originally posted by Griff
It took them over 100 calls to trace the calls finally? I was under the impression that ALL calls to 911 were traced in case it was a real emergency and the line went dead. I know for a fact that if you hang up on 911, they call you back. And if you don't answer, they send a squad car to investigate. Why wasn't normal procedure done in this case?

Exactly, I'm surprised she was able to make 100 calls before the police showed up at her house. Usually after the first one they will at least be knocking on the door to see if everything is okay.

The parents did not make the calls why should they be held responsible?
the phone was belived not to be able to make any calls so the mother thought she was playing with the phone not pranking the cops, and the girl is an 8 year old child, even the thought of her being charged is stupid
btw vaild point there griff

[edit on 22-2-2007 by PlayeR87]

Originally posted by Griff
I know for a fact that if you hang up on 911, they call you back. And if you don't answer, they send a squad car to investigate. Why wasn't normal procedure done in this case?

The phone that was used is one of those that does not have GPS or enhanced 911 features. That is why they were unable to trace it, so you cannot blame the police in this case.

Exactly Player. That's why in this case, I believe the cops/911 people should be charged. If that was a real emergency and it took them 100 calls to finally "respond", what does that say about our 911 system?

Originally posted by shots
The phone that was used is one of those that does not have GPS or enhanced 911 features. That is why they were unable to trace it, so you cannot blame the police in this case.

I don't know about phones but I would think that if the phone in question was able to send a signal to 911, then they could have traced it. How did they finally trace it?

Originally posted by Griff
I don't know about phones but I would think that if the phone in question was able to send a signal to 911, then they could have traced it. How did they finally trace it?

I am not positive, however, I assume the phone company used a triangulation method similar to a radio direction finder.

But why would that take 100 calls? What would happen if that was a real emergency and it took them 100 calls to finally respond? The girl and her mother could have been dead by then. That's why I feel the cops/911 people are to be held responsible.

[edit on 2/22/2007 by Griff]

Originally posted by Griff
But why would that take 100 calls?

OK I might be a little rusty so bear with me.

First the phone company would have to find the signal within three towers.

Once that is done they more then likely would drive around using an antenna that could be turned. The turning of the antenna would allow them to determine if the signal is getting strong or weaker. If it is weak they turn in a new direction Ops the kid hung up signal lost. the next time they go back to the area and start the process all over until they can track down the exact house. The closer they get to the house the stronger the signal gets and that is indicated on a meter.

The process may have changed but that iss the way they did it years ago. Most modern cable companies have similar tracking devices to determine if people are stealing cable services.

I know how triangulation works. What I'm getting at is: why would cell phones even have the service of 911 while not on a network and even have this as a possibility? What I mean is, you can call 911 from an unuseful phone right? It still should give a signal to the 911 people that this is the phone being used. Otherwise, what's the point of being able to call 911 from a non serviceable phone if it can't be tracked (or takes 100 calls to track)? By that time, the person who called could be dead.

Do you understand where I am coming from?

Lets put the child into shackles, and then we can have a police officer shock her around a bit with a taser, yeah that'll teach her wooooHOOOOhoooooWOO.

Originally posted by Mechanic 32
This child should be taught a hard lesson.

TO THE STOCKADES WITH HER, THAT'LL TEACH 'ER!!!




Seriously though, she's 8 yrs old. I don't think any charges should be against her, or any hard lessons to be "taught" I think this comes down to simply her parents.

¿Dónde están los padres?

[edit on 22-2-2007 by Lysergic]

Originally posted by Griff
What I'm getting at is: why would cell phones even have the service of 911 while not on a network and even have this as a possibility?

Yes I understand where you are coming from. My guess is the makers
of phones wanted to make sure if the minutes ran out or the phone got disconnected for whatever reason you could still get help if need be.

Edit to add: Just in case you are not aware of it, do you know that even a locked cell phone can dial 911? That I know was done in case the owner locked his/her phone and had an emergency that way anyone can dial 911 without knowing the PW

[edit on 2/22/2007 by shots]

I think that they should dial a number that has that really awful music when your on hold. Then they should crazy glue that phone to her ear.
Then I'd make her watch 100 episodes of Barney The Purple Dinosaur.
Then for the grand finale, show her one of those Al Jazeera beheading videos, and tell her "This is what happened to the last person who called 911!".

Man! That's a perfect punishment!

Originally posted by shots

Originally posted by Griff
But why would that take 100 calls?

OK I might be a little rusty so bear with me.

First the phone company would have to find the signal within three towers.

Once that is done they more then likely would drive around using an antenna that could be turned. The turning of the antenna would allow them to determine if the signal is getting strong or weaker. If it is weak they turn in a new direction Ops the kid hung up signal lost. the next time they go back to the area and start the process all over until they can track down the exact house. The closer they get to the house the stronger the signal gets and that is indicated on a meter.

The process may have changed but that iss the way they did it years ago. Most modern cable companies have similar tracking devices to determine if people are stealing cable services.

Thats not what happened in this case. All they had to do was call the service provider and do a record check to locate the phone owners house.

Thats takes a matter of minutes. If the phone had been located elsewhere thay would have had more difficulty locating it, but that wasn't the case.

Originally posted by Skibum

Thats not what happened in this case. All they had to do was call the service provider and do a record check to locate the phone owners house.

Well according to our local news that is what happened. Since I am in the immediate area they were covering the story much more then the source used for the stony. Every TV and radio station had it on at one time and they said the provider could not be determined because the phone no longer had service.

Originally posted by shots
they said the provider could not be determined because the phone no longer had service.

This is my point. Why even have phones with no provider be able to call 911 if you can't trace them? Say you have a phone that has run out of service for some reason. You get attacked and call 911 but keep getting turned off (attacker takes phone from you). This problem needs fixed because someone who is being attacked doesn't have the luxury of calling back 100 times for them to finally find you. This time it was prank calls. What about next time?

Originally posted by Griff
This problem needs fixed because someone who is being attacked doesn't have the luxury of calling back 100 times for them to finally find you. This time it was prank calls. What about next time?

They are working on the problem. All new phones have to have the enhanced 911/GPS features so they can track them.

Also keep in mind there might still be unsold analog phones sitting on the shelf waiting to be sold. Once they are gone they will be replaced by law and I understand all analog service will end within the next two years. Keep in mind that in addition not all towers are digital either that also takes time to change the equipment.