Fla. lawmaker: Determine who made bogus claim that Tiger Woods’ children were being abused

Fla. lawmaker calls for probe of bogus Woods claim

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A Florida lawmaker is calling for an investigation into who phoned a hot line claiming Tiger Woods’ children were being abused.

The accusation made by an anonymous caller last month was quickly rejected by Florida officials. Republican state Sen. Ronda Storms wants officials to investigate the caller’s identity and, if possible, prosecute the person.

A spokesman for the Department of Children and Families said Monday that a verified false report can result in civil or criminal penalties. Spokesman Joe Follick says bogus reports take valuable time away from investigators trying to protect vulnerable citizens.

But Follick noted that unless the person confesses, false reporting is difficult to prove.