April fool! Kansas woman plays ‘not funny’ prank on daughter, ends up arrested, police say

Apr. 2 2021, Published 10:42 a.m. ET
Nobody was laughing after a Kansas woman played an April Fool’s Day prank that went really wrong.
On April 1, Arnthia Willis, 58, allegedly called up her daughter from work and told her she had been shot, KWCH reported.
Around 8:30 a.m., the concerned daughter called 911, and dispatchers sent emergency responders scrambling.
“Multiple police units, probably between 15-20 officers from the Wichita Police Department as well as fire department and EMS responded to the scene,” Wichita police Lt. Ronald Hunt said, according to ABC News.
Officers blocked off streets, surrounded Willis’ house, and broke down the door when they were unable to make contact with anyone inside, police said.
They quickly discovered nobody was home.
After further investigation, police learned Willis’ claim were meant to be a joke. She was later located in Derby, a Wichita suburb, and arrested.
Willis faces a charge of “unlawful request for emergency service assistance,” police said.
“April Fools’ can be a good, funny little joke in some circumstances,” Lt. Hunt said, but he noted when it involves emergency responders “it’s not funny anymore.”