2 Minors Allegedly Involved In Billerica Suicide Hotline Hoax

BILLERICA (CBS) - Two minors were allegedly involved in a Billerica suicide hotline hoax on Saturday.

Police were called about 4:15 p.m. from a National Suicide Hotline representative who said they received a call from a person claiming to be a distraught Billerica military veteran.

He was considering killing himself with a gun, police say.

"After attempting to get the individual to talk further, communication was lost and attempts to reestablish contact were unsuccessful," Deputy chief Roy Frost said in a press statement, adding that police were contacted shortly thereafter.

Investigators say they traced the call to the Old Rangeway Road area, where they found two people who ran into the woods toward Route 3 once they saw police. That's when the Northeast Municipal Law Enforcement Council special operations unit was called to the scene.

"Due to the serious nature of the threats and the inability of police to establish phone contact with the individual that made the call to the suicide hotline," Frost said.

A Massachusetts State Police helicopter was also called to help with the search.

Moments after the special operations unit arrived, the duo was found coming out of the woods on Chelmsford Road.

Police say one of them called the hotline as a hoax, and neither were in distress or carried a gun.

The pair will not be identified because they are juveniles.

As of Saturday night, no charges had been brought against the minors.