New Jersey girl dials 911 after touching Elf on the Shelf

OLD BRIDGE, NEW JERSEY (WABC) -- One New Jersey girl apparently feared she ruined Christmas after she accidentally touched her Elf on the Shelf.

Isabelle LaPeruta, 7, of Old Bridge was worried because, according to the popular children's book, the magic of Christmas goes away if the elf is touched.

Mom was asleep at the time, so Isabelle called 911. She told the operator that she meant to call her dad, but dialed 911 by accident.

Police are required to check 911 calls and when the officer arrived, he found the child in tears.

Her mother, Lynanne, says she awoke from a nap to find her daughter trying to shoo the officer out of the house. She says the girl panicked after the elf fell on the floor when she threw a ball.

The officer radioed headquarters: "Isabella apologized. She touched the Elf on a Shelf. She won't call 911 again."

Photos courtesy Lynanne LaPeruta