Release by Winter Haven Police Department:
A Lesson On How NOT To Use 9-1-1
Around 2:45 a.m. this morning, a 9-1-1 call came in with a female voice heard in the background. The caller said “hello”, but then hung up. Officers went to the approximate area of the call, which was near the Winter Haven Hospital, however didn’t locate anyone. Another call came from the same number at 3 a.m. and a female’s voice was heard once again, however the phone disconnected.
Officers arrived at the same location and found 31 year-old Sarah Alameh of Eagle Lake in the hospital parking lot. She indicated that she was the one who called and stated she needed a ride to another city.
Officers explained that was not the proper use of 9-1-1 and that if she didn’t need medical help, she needed to leave the hospital property. She walked to the sidewalk and (yep), another 9-1-1 call came in. This time, she wanted to complain that the officer didn’t give her the service she needed – a taxpayer-sponsored taxi ride. AGAIN, the officers told her she needed to be on her way and not to call 9-1-1 if she did not have an emergency.
Can you guess what happened again? Of course you can – another 9-1-1 call came from the same number.
Well, Alameh got a ride to another city alright. Bartow – to the Polk County Jail (with accommodations).
In all, she called 9-1-1 four times, two times while officers were in the same location as she was.
Alameh was charged with one count of Misuse of 9-1-1.
