A scared 12-year-old boy frantically called 911 after his dad took him without notice and allegedly tried driving from Los Angeles to Las Vegas drunk.
The boy can be heard telling dispatchers during the phone call that he needs help as his dad is trying to take him to Vegas and he is acting weird. Fortunately for authorities, they were able to rescue the boy but not until his allegedly drunk dad reached the Inland Empire.
The incident occurred on October 26. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) dispatcher center in Los Angeles received a call from 12-year-old Ayden, who believed his dad was driving drunk. The man allegedly picked up his son from a birthday celebration without telling anyone he took Ayden. The boy was initially told by his father that they were going to the park.
Ayden alerted dispatchers by describing father's car in 911 call
In the 911 call, Ayden was heard telling the dispatcher the type of vehicle his father was driving, and describing how the car has Raider plates on the front and in the back. Ayden tried giving dispatchers a license plate number, but the one he provided was missing a letter, making it difficult for authorities to locate the car.
Dispatcher April Gingras recalled the incident, saying that everything was kind of hectic and they were trying to get officers in position. She added that they were trying to get the information to everybody.
As dispatchers helped the boy, the phone call suddenly got disconnected. Much to their relief, Ayden was able to call 911 again. Dispatchers were on the phone with the boy for more than an hour as they tried to get information of the location of the moving car, according to ABC 7 Los Angeles.
They told Ayden at one point to stick his hand out of the vehicle and wave so that officers could find the car he is in. That was the time when Ayden's dad pulled over in the area of Baseline Road off the 15 Freeway. According to authorities, the father was wearing a Las Vegas Raiders football helmet at the time.
Ayden's father faces DUI and child abuse charges
Authorities were able to return the kid safely back to his family. Dispatcher Laurie Watson said that they did a great thing and they are just happy. The boy's dad was arrested and he now faces charges that include child abuse and driving while under the influence (DUI).
The same thing happened to a teen girl last month in Michigan as she also called 911 to report her mother driving drunk. She told the 911 operator that she and her little brother do not feel safe and they need somebody to come find them.
Blissfield Police Officer Thomas Anton managed to intercept the vehicle within minutes of the teen's 911 call, according to WTVG. He said that the car was going over the lines and it almost hit another vehicle next to it.
