Missouri lawmaker who tested 988 suicide hotline won’t be charged, prosecutor says
A Missouri lawmaker who texted the state’s 988 suicide hotline saying that she had a gun to her head won’t face criminal charges, the Cole County Prosecutor’s Office announced Wednesday.
Cole County Prosecutor Locke Thompson said in a news release that Rep. Tricia Byrnes, a Wentzville Republican, won’t face charges for the incident. Byrnes had told The Star that she texted the hotline on Feb. 20 to expose the automated responses people receive.
“After reviewing new information in the investigation, it appears that Representative Byrnes was acting under the reasonable belief that she was engaged in a legitimate test of the 988 system,” Thompson said in the release, which referred to the incident as “a false suicide threat.”
Thompson added that he appreciated Byrnes’ cooperation in the investigation and “her condemnation of the misuse of emergency hotlines.” He said any intentional misuse of an emergency line would be “fully investigated and prosecuted.”
Byrnes was under criminal investigation by Missouri Capitol Police and the Missouri State Highway Patrol after sending a series of texts to the suicide hotline. A Jefferson City Police Department incident report said that law enforcement used “a lot of resources” to respond to her texts, “which turned out to only be a false report for her experiment.”
Byrnes had provided The Star with copies of the text messages, which began with “I’m really sad and have no hope to live.” Other messages included, “I have a gun to my head” and “I’m suicidal with a gun to my head.”
The national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is used in states, such as Missouri, for people experiencing mental health, substance use and suicide crises.
Byrnes, in a statement, thanked prosecutors for not filing the criminal charges, reiterating that she sent the texts as part of a test she pursues legislation to change how the system responds to people in crisis.
“I am thankful that the Prosecutor’s Office found that I acted in my Legislative Capacity and in good faith during my legislative investigation into the chats bots and automations on the 988 text line,” Byrnes said. “I am committed to enhancing the 988 Lifeline and appreciate the dedication of all involved, including dispatchers and first responders.”
She also urged residents not to misuse the suicide hotline.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that the intentional misuse of a hotline or emergency line should never be done under any circumstance,” she said, adding that she was appreciative of the law enforcement officers who responded to her texts last month.
Byrnes’ legislation would require crisis counselors to ask a set of questions at the start of every 988 text or call. The goal is to ensure human responses instead of automated scripts, Byrnes previously told The Star.
Editor’s note: This story includes a discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org.
This story was originally published March 5, 2025 at 5:12 PM.
