Miss. child calls 911 to express love for first responders

COVINGTON COUNTY, Miss. (WDAM) - Most people call 911 when they have an emergency, But one little girl in Covington County this week called 911 to tell first responders how much she appreciated them.

Mylah Santa Maria, 6, dialed 911 Tuesday night, but quickly hung up the phone.

911 dispatchers then called back immediately to make sure everything was OK.

The following conversation between the 911 dispatcher and Mylah is from audio provided by Covington County sheriff Darrell Perkins:

Dispatcher: Hello, this is 911, we had a call from this number.

Mylah: Hey, um, I need y’all to tell the sheriff, tomorrow.

Dispatcher: Tell the sheriff what.

Mylah: That I love him and I love all of y’all.

Dispatcher: OK, I will make sure that I get that to him, OK?

Mylah: OK.

Sheriff Darrell Perkins was so moved by the call that he sought out Mylah’s family and met the little girl face-to-face at her home Thursday.

He brought some gifts with him for Mylah, including a basket full of school supplies and a special Covington County Sheriff’s Department challenge coin.

“Everybody at the sheriff’s department said we’ve got to find out who this little girl is,” Perkins said.

Before Perkins left, he got a hug from Mylah and a special red heart she drew on a piece of paper.

“I’ll come visit you at school, OK?” Perkins told Mylah before he drove off.

Mylah starts the first grade at Seminary Elementary School in just a few weeks.

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