12-year-old boy calls 911 as his father allegedly drives drunk with him in car: ‘I need help’
By Eric Resendiz
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LOS ANGELES (KABC) — A frightened 12-year-old boy called 911 after his father took him without notice and allegedly tried driving drunk from Los Angeles to Las Vegas.
“I need help. My dad is trying to take me to Vegas. He’s acting weird,” the boy is heard telling dispatchers during the frantic phone call.
Authorities were able to rescue the boy, but not until his allegedly drunk father reached the Inland Empire.
The incident happened on Oct. 26. The CHP dispatcher center in L.A. received a call from 12-year-old Ayden, who believed his father was driving drunk. The man allegedly picked up Ayden from a birthday celebration without telling anyone he took the boy. Ayden was initially told they were going to the park.
Ayden is heard in the 911 call telling the dispatcher the type of car his dad was driving, and describing how it has “Raider plates on the front and in the back.” He tried giving them a license plate number, but it was missing a letter, making it difficult for dispatchers to locate the car.
“Everything was kind of hectic. We’re trying to get officers in position. We’re trying to get the information to everybody,” dispatcher April Gingras said recalling the incident.
As dispatchers helped Ayden the call got disconnected, but the boy was able to call 911 again. Dispatchers were on the phone with Ayden for more than an hour getting information of the moving car’s location.
At one point, they told Ayden to stick his hand out of the car and wave so officers could find the car. That’s when Ayden’s father pulled over in the area of Baseline Road off the 15 Freeway. The dad was wearing a Las Vegas Raiders football helmet at the time, authorities say.
The boy was returned safely back to his family.
“We did a great thing,” dispatcher Laurie Watson said. “And we’re just happy.”
The boy’s father was arrested and faces charges that include DUI and child abuse.
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