A fabricated police report briefly separated the children of former US transport secretary Pete Buttigieg from their parents, sources confirm. The incident, which took place in a quiet London suburb, has prompted an urgent review of emergency response protocols by British security services.
Documents obtained by this newsroom reveal that on the afternoon of 14 March, an anonymous caller reported a non-existent domestic disturbance at the Buttigieg family residence. Metropolitan Police officers responded rapidly, implementing standard safeguarding procedures that involved removing the two children, aged 3 and 5, from the home for several hours.
The hoax was uncovered when Buttigieg and his husband, Chasten, provided documentary evidence of their whereabouts during the alleged incident. A police spokesperson confirmed that the report was "maliciously false" and that an investigation is underway to trace the caller.
Sources close to the family describe the ordeal as "terrifying" and note that the children were visibly distressed upon their return. The Metropolitan Police has since issued an apology, stating that officers were acting on information that appeared credible at the time.
The false report has raised serious questions about the vulnerability of high-profile families to coordinated harassment campaigns. A senior counter-terrorism official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told this newsroom: "This was a deliberate attempt to cause harm. We are looking at whether it is connected to broader patterns of intimidation against public figures."
The review, led by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, will assess how emergency services can better verify caller identity before actioning sensitive responses. Critics argue that the current system prioritises speed over accuracy, leaving families exposed to malicious actors who understand the system's leeway.
Buttigieg, who served as US transportation secretary under President Joe Biden and is a prominent LGBTQ+ advocate, relocated his family to the UK for academic commitments. His office declined to comment, citing ongoing police inquiries.
This incident is the latest in a string of hoax calls targeting US political figures abroad. In 2022, a similar false report led to a lockdown at the London residence of former vice president Mike Pence. Security analysts warn that such attacks are becoming more sophisticated, often leveraging spoofed phone numbers and deepfake audio.
A Home Office spokesperson said: "We take the safety of all individuals in the UK seriously. The Metropolitan Police is conducting a full investigation, and we are working with partners to ensure that our emergency protocols are robust against such malicious interference."
The cost of the police response, including helicopter deployment and road closures, is estimated at over £40,000. Insiders say the review will also examine whether repeat offenders can be tracked through enhanced call tracing technology.
For the Buttigieg family, the trauma lingers. A family friend said: "They are grateful for the swift action but horrified that someone would weaponise the system against children. They are staying in the UK but are now wary of becoming a target again."
As security services scramble to close loopholes, one question remains: how many more families must be caught in such deliberate crossfire before the system changes?
