Dyersburg Amber Alert Call Was a Hoax

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The alert was initiated in Dyer County Wednesday after a young girl claimed she had been abducted. Thursday law enforcement officers are angry over the resources spent chasing a prank.

Two 911 calls placed in dyer county sparked this nationwide alert.

Caller: Somebody's trying to molest us.
Dispatcher: Someone's trying to molest you?
Caller: Yes.

The caller said she was in a red Chevy Suburban driving down a two lane road. She said she was a 13 year old named Latrice Watson, and she and her 10 year old sister had been abducted by a white man in his 60's.

It all turned out to be a hoax.

Dyer County Sheriff Jeffrey Holt is disgusted by the resources wasted searching for the girls.

"Three investigators, four or five patrol officers, overtime, people who were supposed to be off duty, running information," says Holt.

The calls came from a 911 only cell phone and could not be called back.

Shortly after the first, a second call came into dyer county dispatch.

Dispatcher: Latrice? Is this Latrice?
Caller: Yes.
Dispatcher: Latrice, where are you sweetheart?
Caller: I don't know

"You listen to the first two you have fair credibility," says Holt. "Its when you get into the other calls the questions start to really arise."

The third call came into Pemiscot County, Missouri. There technology allows the county to begin recording as soon as the call is placed, even before the dispatcher picks up the phone.

In the third call, you can hear the caller laughing and talking before the dispatcher picks up.

Caller: Scream when it come on.
Dispatcher: 911, what's your emergency?
Caller: (screaming)

It was what the caller said while the phone was still ringing, when she thought no one was listening, that gave her away.

Authorities in Pemiscot County had at least 20 people working on the case there as well.

"It's pretty frustrating to spend all this time and resources," says Holt.

This investigation has now turned to finding and prosecuting the caller, who will be facing charges in Pemiscot and Dyer counties once apprehended.

"It's extremely serious," says Holt. "You could, for adults, definitely pull jail time for kids, detention in juvenile facilities."

Both Pemiscot and Dyer counties are following leads on who the caller may be. But so far, no one has been arrested.