A young boy dialed 911—not for an emergency, but for help with his math homework. What officers discovered next made them rush to his home.

Ryan Crosby, just eight years old, sat staring at his math book, frustration written all over his face. “How am I supposed to figure this out?” he muttered.

With a deadline looming and no one to turn to, he grabbed the phone and called 911.

“911, what’s your emergency?” the dispatcher asked.

“My name is Ryan… Can you help me with math?”

“Ryan, this line is for emergencies, not homework help,” the operator replied. “Is there something urgent we can assist you with?”

But Ryan wouldn’t give up. “Please! My mom said 911 helps people… I really need help!” he pleaded.

At this point, the operator was tempted to end the call, but she needed to be sure it wasn’t just a prank. She decided to speak with Ryan’s mother.

“Alright, can you hand the phone to your mom?” she asked.

Ryan sniffled. “She’s not here… I wouldn’t have called 911 if she was.”