TyLon Pittman was not about to let the Grinch steal Christmas – so he did exactly what kids are supposed to do for emergencies: call 911.
A dispatcher for the Byram Police Department was pleasantly surprised to pick up the phone on Saturday night and hear a 5-year-old boy expressing concern that the Grinch was going to ruin Christmas because “he steals everybody’s Christmas.”
When Officer Lauren Develle heard about the youngster’s worry, she couldn’t resist stopping by his house to reassure him.
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Develle can relate to Tylon’s anxiety, too – she told the Clarion Ledger that she used to watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas every year with her family. Plus, with her blonde hair and petite form, she is often told that she looks like Cindy Lou Who.
Tylon’s parents were initially confused when they heard the knock at the door – and they were even more confused to find a police officer on the porch. Apparently, the 5-year-old had been careful to place the emergency call in secret.
Develle, on the other hand, had no problem reassuring TyLon and his family that if the Grinch showed up, the Byram Police Department of Mississippi would be ready to lock him up.
Tylon’s older brother TeDera, who is home for the holidays after joining the Air Force, was delighted to film the adorable exchange that followed.
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“So what are you going to do if he tries to steal your Christmas?” Develle asked TyLon.
“I want y’all to come back to my house and take him to jail,” he firmly replied.
TyLon then explained that he first became worried after seeing a video of the notorious green villain on his phone earlier that night. He even queued up the clip so Develle could see what she was dealing with – but she was unfazed by the danger.
“Well, I’ve gotta get back to work, but I just came by to tell you that the Grinch is not gonna steal your Christmas, okay?” Develle said with a smile. “We can take him to jail if he tries to steal your Christmas.”
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After TeDera posted the cute videos on Facebook, they were shared hundreds of thousands of times by people praising Develle’s compassion and patience.
“I can NOT make this up!!!” wrote TeDera. “My 5-year-old brother called the police and said that the Grinch is stealing people’s Christmas and he don’t want him to steal his, so they really came to our house!”
“Officer Develle, thank you sooo much! You made his night!” he added.
(WATCH the video below)
Don’t Be A Grinch: Click To Share This Cute Story With Your Friends (Photo by TeDera Dwayne Graves II)