Oops! My Son Accidentally Called 911 and APD Showed Up

Always be wary of where your phone is and what's happening with it, because you could get an unexpected visit from the police.

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Over the weekend, my fella had just gotten home from working out of town for a week, I was in my pajamas, and it was nearly 11pm.  Out of the blue, we hear knock, knock, knock on the front door.

I mean what the heck? Who is at my door at 11pm?

The fella looks at me and says, "It's the police?"

He answers the door, and the officers were, "we received a 911 call from here is everything OK."

We both looked at each other knowing full well neither one of us called 911 and our phones were on the table, so there was only one more person.

My teenager.

I walked into his room, and loudly asked if he called 911 and of course, I get the "oh crap" look from him and the stuttering speech.  I proceeded to tell him to walk his butt to the front door and apologize.

First of all, kudos to the Amarillo Police for showing up and checking the situation, even though it was a surprise to us, it could've been a real emergency where someone was in trouble.

Second, I know this happens a lot.   I know it's not just kids and teenager, it's adults as well.  It's actually quite easy for your smartphone to dial 911 by accident.

I reached out to Cpl. Jeb Hilton with the Amarillo Police Department and asked how many accidental calls come into 911:

It does happen daily and more than most people would think. It has happened to me too. Our youngest son was playing on my phone one night and hit the emergency dial. We had no clue until dispatch called back. At some point it’s bound to happen to everyone.

What do you do if you accidentally call 911?

• Stay on the line and explain it was an accident
• Answer the call back and explain it was an accident

If you don't do either, expect the Amarillo Police Department to show up at your front door.

Oh, and just keep in mind, it's probably smart that your PJs are not just a oversized t-shirt and your underwear.

I guess, my son and I learned a lesson over the weekend.