Officials in Wichita, Kansas, released a 911 call on Thursday, made by the woman who last saw little Lucas Hernandez alive, and according to a language expert, the call is filled with red flags.
Sheryl McCollum, a language expert, CSI, and Director of Atlanta’s Cold Case Investigative Research Institute, analyzed the 911 call made on February 17 by Emily Glass, the caretaker of 5-year-old Lucas Hernandez when he disappeared from his Wichita home, and the live-in girlfriend girlfriend of Lucas’ father, Jonathan Hernandez. According to Glass’ call, she took a “long nap” with her toddler daughter while the little boy napped in his own room. When she woke up, Lucas had vanished.
Months later, however, Glass led private detective David Marshburn to the little boy’s body, where she reportedly hid him under under a small bridge in Harvey County, Kansas.
One of the first things McCollum noticed is that although Glass seems to be in tears and near panic, she never once asked the 911 dispatcher to help find Lucas.
“She never once asked for help! Never begs them to find him! Never ask them to look for him,” McCollum told CrimeOnline. “She starts her 911 call with, ‘Oh my God my son my son my son.’ She is slow to say why she needs 911.”
McCollum also said she noticed that Glass seemed to quick to provide an excuse as to why Lucas was not there. Instead of screaming for help, Glass explained why she couldn’t find Lucas without being asked.
“She is quick to tell you the front door was open and unlocked. And that she was asleep: alibi- building. Can’t be her fault and she can’t have any answers because she was asleep…She never says she is afraid for Lucas – she says “I’m scared”. What about your lost baby?”
Throughout the call, Glass is heard sobbing and shrieking and to some people unfamiliar with the case, it may even sound like she’s telling the truth. According to McCollum, although it wasn’t the truth, the crying and sobbing likely wasn’t an act, but more of sheer fear and worry, since Glass already knew Lucas was deceased.
“It’s not really an acting job. Remember he’s dead. She knows that and is most likely upset. She is worried about police, prison and her safety.”
Listen to the 911 call in full below, obtained by local Wichita media outlet, The Eagle.
Glass: ….. My son. My son’s gone. He’s not in the (unclear). He wasn’t in his (unclear).
Dispatcher: Where is your son at?
Glass: I don’t know.
Dispatcher: He’s gone?
Glass: Yes, he’s gone!
Dispatcher: When did he leave?
Glass: I don’t know. I don’t know. I just woke up from a long nap and he’s not in his room.
Dispatcher: How old is he?
Glass: He’s five.
Dispatcher: Ma’am?
Glass: Oh my god.
Dispatcher: Ma’am, how old is your son?
Glass: He’s five years old.
Dispatcher: Five years old. Did someone take him?
Glass: I don’t know. I don’t know.
Dispatcher: Did he walk off?
Glass: No, I don’t know. I just woke up. I just woke up. (Crying) I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what to do.
Dispatcher: What address are you at?
Glass: I’m at 655 South Edgemoor. Oh my god. I don’t know what to do.
Dispatcher: Ma’am, go ahead and repeat your location for verification for me, OK?
Glass: It’s 655 South Edgemoor.
Dispatcher: OK. All right.
Glass: Ma’am, I have to…. I need to call his father because he’s not in town. He’s at work right now.
Dispatcher: OK, can you stay on the line with me? I need to get some more information. OK?
Glass: (Crying)
Dispatcher: Try to stay on the line with me. What is the phone number that you’re calling from?
Glass: It’s (redacted).
Dispatcher: OK. And what is your name?
Glass: My name is (redacted).
Dispatcher: OK, OK. Stay on the line with me. I’ve got some more questions, OK? What is your son’s name?
Glass: It’s Lucas.
Dispatcher: Lucas?
Glass: Lucas.
Dispatcher: And you said he’s five years old?
Glass: Yes, he’s five years old.
Dispatcher: Is he white, black, Hispanic or Asian?
Glass: He is white. He has some Mexican in him but not a lot.
Dispatcher: You said he’s half-Mexican?
Glass: Yes.
Dispatcher: OK. That’s fine. How tall is he?
Glass: I don’t know. He’s about four feet maybe? I don’t know.
Dispatcher: Four feet? OK, that’s fine. Is he thin, medium or heavy build?
Glass: He’s little. He’s very little.
Dispatcher: OK. Do you remember what he was wearing?
Glass: (unclear) Um, he was wearing black sweats and a green shirt with a bear on it. (Crying) Oh my god! Where’s Lucas? Where’s Lucas?
Dispatcher: All right. I’m still here, OK? Just keep talking to me.
Glass: I need to call his dad. I need to call his dad.
Dispatcher: I understand, I understand. OK? I need to get a little bit more information, OK? When was the last time you saw him?
Glass: Around like 3 O’clock?
Dispatcher: OK. And you’re at, he was at home?
Glass: Yes, ma’am.
Dispatcher: OK. All right. And what color is his hair?
Glass: It’s brown.
Dispatcher: Short or long?
Glass: It’s short.
Dispatcher: Was he wearing anything else? A hat or anything?
Glass: And he had, um, he had white socks on, and he had a pull up on because we were taking a nap, so.
Dispatcher: What do you mean, a pull up?
Glass: Uh, a pull up. Um, for nighttime, you know?
Dispatcher: OK. What color was that?
Glass: White and blue?
Dispatcher: White and blue?
Glass: He has brown eyes and really, really long eyelashes.
Dispatcher: OK, OK.
Glass: And um, I don’t know (unclear).
Dispatcher: Just hang in there, OK?
Glass: (Crying)
Dispatcher: Is he the only one missing?
Glass: Yes.
Dispatcher: Did you see any suspicious people in the area?
Glass: Um, no. (unclear) There were some like people hanging around the corner of my house, but I don’t (inaudible) …
Dispatcher: So there were some suspicious people on the corner?
Glass: I don’t know. I don’t think they (unclear) … anything to do with it. But, I’m scared. Where is he?
Dispatcher: OK. Was he taking a nap with you?
Glass: In his room. I put a movie on for him and I took a shower really quick and he was asleep when I went and checked back on him, and so me and his little sister took a nap in my room.
Dispatcher: OK. So you went to check on him and then you went to go take a nap. And he’s not there anymore, correct?
Glass: (Unclear)
Dispatcher: OK, it’s OK. Do you know if he left with anything else? Was there any pets missing or anything?
Glass: We don’t have any pets. And his shoes are here and his coat is here.
Dispatcher: His shoes and coat are in there?
Glass: Yes, ma’am.
Dispatcher: OK.
Glass: (Crying) Oh my god.
Dispatcher: Has he ever wandered off before?
Glass: No. No, (unclear) He’s not here.
Dispatcher: OK, OK. OK.
Glass: I need to (unclear)…
Dispatcher: Where have you looked at all? Have you looked in the house at all?
Glass: I looked all around the house. And I went to the neighbor’s and I asked and they said, ‘No.’ And that’s why I called you. Because I don’t know (inaudible) … kids next door. I don’t know.
Dispatcher: OK. OK. Does he have a bicycle or anything?
Glass: He does, but it’s here.
Dispatcher: It is there.
Glass: And he….
Dispatcher: All of his toys are there?
Glass: Yes, ma’am. Oh my god. (Baby noises in background) I’m here, I know.
Dispatcher: Now, do you know, is he on any medications or anything?
Glass: Yes, He’s on Zofran right now because he’s been, he’s had the flu. And he’s (unclear) … so he’s on that.
Dispatcher: OK.
Glass: (More crying) Oh my god.
Dispatcher: Where’s your husband at right now?
Glass: He’s in, he’s (unclear) … He works out of state.
Dispatcher: He’s in Garden State?
Glass: No, he works out of state. He’s in Texas.
Dispatcher: Oh, he’s in Texas, OK.
Glass: I need to call him, OK? He needs to know!
Dispatcher: One second for me, OK? All right? We have people en route to you, OK? They’re looking for him, OK?
Glass: (Cries)
Dispatcher: Anyone else in the house?
Glass: It’s just me and my daughter.
Dispatcher: OK. How old is your daughter?
Glass: She’s a year old. (Baby cries in background) I know, I know.
Dispatcher: Do you see PD out there at all?
Glass: Yes, they’re here.
Dispatcher: They’re there?
Glass: Yes.
Dispatcher: OK, go ahead and talk to them, OK? Call us back if anything changes. OK?
Glass: (Inaudible) … I got to call him right now.
Further Reading
Exclusive: Dad pleads for return of missing boy, Lucas Hernandez, described as ‘shy and soft-spoken’
Stepmother of missing boy Lucas Hernandez arrested for child endangerment
New tip leads to heavy police presence at creek area, in search of missing boy Lucas Hernandez
Five parks searched, still no sign of missing little boy: Where is Lucas Hernandez?
‘I would never hurt my son!’: Stepmother of missing boy Lucas Hernandez speaks out from jail [Video]
Lucas Hernandez Update: Neighbor says she saw missing boy two days before he vanished
[Feature Photo: Emily Glass/Police Handout; Lucas Hernandez/Handout]