It's been a rough start to the week for Iowa law enforcement authorities, for the craziest of reasons. No, for the stupidest of reasons. Authorities have been dealing with very serious emergency calls that both turned out to be hoaxes.

The first came Monday night to Mason City Police. According to the Mason City Police Department, "a female caller reported that she had been assault(ed) and was severely injured. Her location was near a path and she needed immediate help." As you might imagine, that created an avalanche of a response from the Mason City Police Department, Cerro Gordo County Sheriff's Office, North Iowa CERT, Iowa State Patrol, and Clear Lake Fire Department.

The agencies searched until dark, and "further investigation revealed that several law enforcement agencies in Iowa had received a nearly identical call at some point on Monday, July 16."

Today, it has continued. This morning, the Mahaska County Sheriff's Office received a call at 7:10 from a woman who said she'd "been sexually assaulted and stabbed" on a recreational trail. According to Osky News, the woman identified herself as Jocelyn Lannie Barns. She claimed to be from Texas. An investigation determined, this too, was a hoax. The response involved four different agencies.

It's all absolutely disgusting. But they will be caught... and that will be a good day.

 

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