Arizona.- An Arizona kindergarten student recently learned the lesson that you can’t call 911 for food even though a good-hearted officer embraced the “teaching moment” to clarify when it’s appropriate to use the emergency number, and he also surprised the boy with a hamburger. Last week, a 5-year-old boy named Charlie called the Mesa Police Department looking for comfort and ordered a happy meal before hanging up.
“Do you have an emergency?” asked dispatcher Anthony Bonilla on audio footage released by the department, Today reports. A Mc-Happy meal, ” replied Charlie, before the call was finalized. In a follow-up call to the house, Bonilla told the boy’s father, Randy Skabelund, that an officer would soon arrive for a wellness check-up and that he might pass through Mickey D beforehand, according to The Arizona Republic and Inside Edition.
Fifteen minutes later, Officer Randolph “Scott” Valedez arrived to talk to Charlie, with the McDonald’s requested in hand.” He said, “I brought you a happy meal, but before we give it to you we need to talk about the right time to call 911,” Charlie’s mother Kim Skabelund said.
Officer Valdez was wonderful. He handled the situation with such love and kindness and really touched our hearts.
“We were completely shocked and a little embarrassed,” he admitted, and told Inside Edition that his son now clearly understands that he should tell his parents, not 911, if he yearns for McDonald’s. Kim said he was also surprised to find that his young son probably ordered the meal, a cheeseburger with tomato sauce, for his older sister, Jadyn, 6.
Mesa Police Department
“That’s what Jadyn gets. Charlie only eats the chicken nuggets,” the mother told Today. He’s always keeping an eye on Jadyn.” The Mesa City Police Department then shared the story on Facebook, where it has since gone viral with more than 1,500 likes and 360 shares. In a sweet image captured by Charlie’s mother, the boy smiled as he posed with Happy Food and his new friend, Officer Valdez.” Awesome to see a PD turn this ‘accident’ into a learning moment with a gift, too! Thank you for worrying,” one commentator wrote, while others thanked the department for handling the “emergency so efficiently.” We are very proud of how Officer Valdez and dispatcher Anthony Bonilla responded,” Chief Ramon Batista told the Republic about the now viral history.
