OKEECHOBEE — A local woman was arrested Dec. 29 after reportedly calling 911 with a false claim of child molestation. She was charged with misuse of the 911 system and later released on her own recognizance.
On Sunday, at approximately 4:45 p.m., Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Deputy Kenneth Hernandez responded to a call in the 2000 block of Southeast 29th Street regarding a welfare check. A woman called dispatch to tell them a man was molesting her daughter but then asked them to cancel. When he arrived, he spoke with the woman who called and the man she had accused, as well as the daughter who was allegedly molested.
The man explained that the woman was intoxicated and while driving home earlier, had hit a median, damaging their vehicle. He said she never reported it. He said she tried to leave in the car again, and he would not allow her to take the car, so she got angry and called 911. When the man was told of the accusation made against him, he was horrified and said he would never put the daughter in harm’s way.
The daughter said her mother was intoxicated and that the man would not let her take the car, because it was the only car they had and he did not want her to have another accident and hurt the car or herself. She said the man did not and would never touch her.
The woman said she told dispatch to cancel and they do not need any help from law enforcement.