A mother abducted at knifepoint with three kids in Nevada was able to warn authorities by phoning 911 and softly spoke to dispatchers while being held hostage in a moving car, according to authorities.
An open-line 911 call was made to police in Mesquite, roughly 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas, soon after midnight Monday, according to authorities.
The distraught caller was ultimately able to gently talk to the dispatcher, claiming she was inside of a car and needed assistance, yet was unable to offer much specifics, police said.
According to authorities, cops tracked down the caller and halted a vehicle containing a man, a wife, and three kids. Police instantly spotted traces of a crime and arrested the driver.
According to authorities, the defendant, Justin Junius Carter, 34, of Las Vegas, attempted to attack the mother in Las Vegas before kidnapping her and the three kids at knifepoint.
The lady was able to “create a strategy to call 911” after she arrived in Mesquite, according to authorities.
While this was not an accidental 911 pocket-dial instance, it does highlight why officers extensively examine those calls, according to authorities.
Dispatchers routinely get ‘pocket dial’ or inadvertent 911 calls, and an officer is dispatched to each one to check on the caller and everyone else there, police added. The situation… is precisely why they prioritize these calls. Exceptional work by dispatchers and cops in keeping that family safe!
Mesquite Police Chief Maquade Chesley complimented all of the victims for remaining calm in the face of adversity.
This mom and her children’s courage cannot be emphasized. They kept their cool, and she valiantly devised a plan in her brain to call for assistance as soon as she could, Chesley explained.
He is thankful that the dispatchers and cops working that night were prepared to act without delay in order to discover and save these victims from such a horrible situation. Their quick response and perseverance in collecting data from the 911 call spared this family from additional damage.
Carter was detained and charged with, among other things, four counts of second-degree kidnapping in violation of an extended protection order, attempted murder, domestic battery with a dangerous weapon, and tried sexual assault.
Carter’s mom could be reached via phone on Friday. She refused to talk right away since she wanted to consult with Carter’s lawyer first and didn’t want to jeopardize his case.
