No charges to be filed after state lawmaker’s 988 hotline test
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A Missouri state representative will not be charged after law enforcement officers responded to the Capitol for a false suicide threat using the 988 system.
Cole County Prosecutor Locke Thompson said in a news release on Wednesday that he will not be filing charges against state Rep. Tricia Byrnes (R-Wentzville).
Thompson said in a release after reviewing new information Byrnes would not be criminally charged.
"It appears Representative Byrnes was acting under the reasonable belief that she was engaged in a legitimate test of the 988 system," Thompson said in the release.
Thompson also thanked Byrnes for her cooperation along with Capitol Police and Missouri State Highway Patrol's Division of Drug and Crime Control for conducting the investigation. He added that any intentional misuse of an emergency line would be investigated and prosecuted.
Missouri Capitol Police sent Thompson a probable cause statement to justify charges, the prosecutor told ABC 17 News. His office reviewed possible charges including making a terroristic threat in the second and third-degree and misuse of an emergency line.
The incident, which is now considered closed, attracted attention after Jefferson City Police responded to a suicidal text using 988 on Feb. 20 from inside the Capitol. It eventually led them to Byrnes, who told them "she was proving how ineffective the 988 system is." Byrnes is sponsoring HB 1148, which would require new rules for 988 crisis counselors. She aimed at the 988 system's automatic responses via text as unresponsive to people's needs when trying to get help through the emergency line.
Byrnes said in a statement on Wednesday that she appreciated the work law enforcement did.
"I would also like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that the intentional misuse of a hotline or emergency line should never be done under any circumstance," Byrnes said. "I have tremendous respect for our law enforcement and first responders, and I want to make clear that I am appreciative and supportive of those who run toward unknown danger every day to keep us safe including those who did so on February 20th. My issue lies with the 988 Chatbot that continues to inexplicably endanger lives across Missouri.”
Byrnes said at a committee hearing over her bill on Feb. 25 that she found "a little bit of a connection" to 911 when placing a text to the 988 system. She said law enforcement contacted her about an hour and a half after she had placed the test text to 988.
