(KMOV)-- Florissant police now say reports of a baboon on the loose was a hoax.
This all started when a 14-year-old girl said she snapped a picture of a baboon in her back yard. Police began searching with K-9 units and called in experts from the St. Louis Zoo who combed nearby woods.
The Hazelwood school district even instituted additional security measures and sent letters home to parents advising them of the potential danger from the primate.
But then police learned of an identical picture on a wildlife website and re-interviewed the girl. She admitted the picture was actually taken from a computer screen.
Authorities said the incident will be referred to the St. Louis County Family Court for further review/action. No word yet if the juvenile will be charged.
