Boy's ignored 911 call leads to charges

Jolie77

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I don't know if there is another thread or a repost that was related to this topic previously but I thought it was worth sharing with you guys.



http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/06/07/911.death.ap/index.html

Boy's ignored 911 call leads to charges
If convicted, two dispatchers could spend a year in jail

Wednesday, June 7, 2006; Posted: 5:50 p.m. EDT (21:50 GMT)


Robert Turner, now 6, called 911 twice after his mother collapsed. She died before help arrived.

DETROIT, Michigan (AP) -- Two 911 dispatchers who authorities say wrongly assumed it was a prank when a 5-year-old boy called to report that his mother had collapsed have been charged with neglect of duty

By the time an officer arrived, the boy's 46-year-old mother was dead.

"I understand they get quite a few crank calls, but you have to take it seriously when someone calls 911," Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said Wednesday in announcing charges against Sharon Nichols, 43, and Terri Sutton, 47.

They could get a year in jail if convicted of the misdemeanor.

Worthy said the mother, Sherrill Turner, might be alive today had the dispatchers done their jobs correctly.

The president of the dispatchers' union did not immediately return a call for comment.

Robert Turner, now 6, called 911 twice on February 20 to report that his mother had collapsed and needed medical care, but "neither operator treated this as an emergency," the prosecutor said.

No police car was sent after Nichols took the first call. The boy called again three hours later, and Sutton reacted by sending police out to discipline the child and inform the parent that the youngster was dialing 911, Worthy said.

Attorney Geoffrey Fieger, who defended assisted-suicide advocate Jack Kevorkian, has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the city on behalf of the family. Fieger said Robert's mother, who had an enlarged heart, would have survived if help had been sent immediately.

After police investigated, Nichols received a five-day suspension, and Sutton received three days. Both have returned to work, Worthy said.

The prosecutor refused to say if the two should have been fired, but added, "They should not be taking 911 calls."

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In My Opinion, Those 2 operators should have take the responsibilty to act professionally when taking a 911 call. It doesn't matter how many prank calls they get through the day. Their job is supposed to be sending the police, fire department and EMT to the location to check the situation out. If it was really a prank, then that's fine at least someone was there to check it out and the Adult could get fined for a prank call. So this one was pretty much absurd to see this happening. The little boy was doing exactly what he was taught to do in case of an emergency rises. It saddens me to see that the dispatcher has came to that point to think the boy was making a prank call.
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http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060410/NEWS05/604100335/1001/NEWS

Here is the recording conversation of the boy and the first call to the 911 dispatcher. There are 2 911 calls that the boy had made but I am trying to find the transcript that was made for the 2nd 911 call.


The calls

First call, 5:59 p.m. Feb. 20:

Dispatcher: ""Emergency 911, what's the problem?"

Robert: "My mom has passed out. ..."

Dispatcher: "Where's Mr. Turner at?..."

Robert: "Right here."

Dispatcher: "Let me talk to him."

Robert: ""She's not gonna ... she's not gonna talk."

Dispatcher: "OK, well I'm going to send the police to your house and find out what's going on with you. ..."

Second call, 9:02 p.m.:

Robert: "My mom has passed out. ..."

Dispatcher: "Where's the grown-ups at?"

Robert: (Inaudible)

Dispatcher: "Let me speak to her before I send the police over there."

Robert: "She's not gonna talk. ..."

Dispatcher: "Now put her on the phone before I send the police out there to knock on the door and you going to be in trouble."

Robert: "Ugh." (Hangs up.)
 
NO MATTER WHAT !!!!! :pissed:

THE POLICE CAN BE JUST SENT OUT TO SEE WHAT THE SITUATION IS.

ALL IT TAKES IS FOR ONE CALL DIALING 911 TO BECOME ALL TOO REAL.

THEY SHOULD BE IN JAIL AND NOT TAKING 911 CALLS.

THEY HAVE A DEAD PERSON'S FAMILY TO ANSWER TO AND BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO.

GOD BLESS THAT BOY.... :angel:
 
Yeah i hear story what happen. Poor Robert. I think Robert fill up (mad). Dispatcher is no excuse cause his mom is pass out which dispatched request him put phone to his mom. My mind said oh crap come on. Hope both dispatched going jail for good. Give dispatcher hard learn lesson.
 
I heard that before and it was pretty stupid of them to ignore the call, whether it's pank or not, just send a cop there and see what happens. it's not THAT hard. :roll:
 
Heath said:
NO MATTER WHAT !!!!! :pissed:

THE POLICE CAN BE JUST SENT OUT TO SEE WHAT THE SITUATION IS.

ALL IT TAKES IS FOR ONE CALL DIALING 911 TO BECOME ALL TOO REAL.

THEY SHOULD BE IN JAIL AND NOT TAKING 911 CALLS.

THEY HAVE A DEAD PERSON'S FAMILY TO ANSWER TO AND BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO.

GOD BLESS THAT BOY.... :angel:

I agree, Anything can happen once a 911 call is made. It just fazes me to see something like that happening. I mean all 911 dispatchers are trained to deal with the emergencies on a constant daily basis. They are taught to deal with the prank calls as well. That is not really an excuse to see how they dismissed the child for calling 911 just because the child wanted to save his mother.

Sweetheart said:
Yikes... That's suck...:(

Indeed, It does and the boy is never getting his mother back which is really saddening.

TFWFalcon said:
Yeah i hear story what happen. Poor Robert. I think Robert fill up (mad). Dispatcher is no excuse cause his mom is pass out which dispatched request him put phone to his mom. My mind said oh crap come on. Hope both dispatched going jail for good. Give dispatcher hard learn lesson.

You're right. It was a RED Flag for the dispatcher to hear because since the child said that his mother was passing out. That is obviously something going on. I was told that when the 911 dispatchers are trained - Their motto is "When in doubt, send them out!" That is what the dispatchers should have done. A huge lawsuit is in order for that and it is a open/shut case since the boy's family will win the lawsuit, for sure.
 
They should take the call and send help.

2 weeks ago I call 911 then ran to my mom in law "s freind 's house to got help. The cop come first to make sure there is no fake call. and the cop come talk to me what happen .
 
I heard about this. That was terrible what the 911 peeps did....if I understand this right, no matter what, if you dial 911 they HAVE to send someone to your house no matter what.
 
I always love to watch COPS, they sent police no mater if its prank or hang up call then police would check whats up with people... Some people would pick, dialing 911 then hang up cuz dont want to other people hear... For example, one show talk abt one woman dialing 911 and hang up, then police check up that house and her husband said whats up with police on their house and police said some called 911 then her husband saw woman cried, but police continued ask them why she called 911 and hang up then woman admitted that her husband beat her up, so police decided to under arrested on man for assault battery...
 
Remember JOHN Q? Well John Q dad took the hospital hostage because the hospital adminstrator refused to put his son on the donor list because his son had an enlarged heart.I wonder if this kid loses the lawsuit when he turns 18 hes gonna hold the mayor hostage until the city pays him the million dollars.

And remember on A Current Affair show a 9-11 dispatcher telling the lady the intruder twiching the door is not an emergency while the lady was hiding in the closet.Later the intruder found the lady in closet raped and murder the lady.Her husband sued the county 6.5 million dollars but the judge overturned the verdict and another case jury gave him 1.5 million.So i hope the kid gets at least 10 million.
 
Oh wow .. I am sure 5 yrs old boy is brave to call 911 but 2 ppl ingore him on the call and want talk to his mom but his mom is not talk geez at 911. Glad they are in jail for a year. Make their learn lesson!! have to listen to someone if there are happened no matter what the age of kids like over age 2 or 3 yrs old to call 911.

Saw on tv in few years ago not know what year that little girl age 3 yrs old I think called 911 it was smart girl that her parents taught her to press the button " 9 1 1 " and she did cause of her dad was in bad from in pick up truck or in living room on the floor not sure which. Firemen, Police, and alabumic (spelling) came to the house.
 
DeafMonkey said:
Oh wow .. I am sure 5 yrs old boy is brave to call 911 but 2 ppl ingore him on the call and want talk to his mom but his mom is not talk geez at 911. Glad they are in jail for a year. Make their learn lesson!! have to listen to someone if there are happened no matter what the age of kids like over age 2 or 3 yrs old to call 911.

Saw on tv in few years ago not know what year that little girl age 3 yrs old I think called 911 it was smart girl that her parents taught her to press the button " 9 1 1 " and she did cause of her dad was in bad from in pick up truck or in living room on the floor not sure which. Firemen, Police, and alabumic (spelling) came to the house.

FYI, To help you DeafMonkey the correct spelling is ambulance. :) :thumb:
 
farewell65 said:
I always love to watch COPS, they sent police no mater if its prank or hang up call then police would check whats up with people... Some people would pick, dialing 911 then hang up cuz dont want to other people hear... For example, one show talk abt one woman dialing 911 and hang up, then police check up that house and her husband said whats up with police on their house and police said some called 911 then her husband saw woman cried, but police continued ask them why she called 911 and hang up then woman admitted that her husband beat her up, so police decided to under arrested on man for assault battery...

I watch TV show cops...exact one i watch that show and glad lady was safe after cops haul him to the jail. Good cops show up and dont matter how is small or large.
 
I think it would be a good idea for the 911 dispatchers to keep track of the prank calls they get every year then based on that confidential figures they get annually then the police department can start hiring a unit dedicated to finding out if a 911 call is a prank or a real phone 911 call and if a 911 dispatcher thinks this is a prank call, he or she can say nothing then send out the police unit out to check if the 911 call is for real or not which will free up more police officers to focus on real 911 calls and I also think the investigating police officers should have a gun and a badge and the same arresting powers as police officers because what if that 911 unit rolled to the location and it is a real 911 phone call then the police need to defend innocent life in addition to their own lives too as they put their life on the line every time a 911 call comes over the C.B. in the police car. In this way we will not have any more tragic incidients like this article at the top of the thread posting so I think that is taxpayer's money well spent and save real lives in the process too.
 
farewell65 said:
I always love to watch COPS, they sent police no mater if its prank or hang up call then police would check whats up with people... Some people would pick, dialing 911 then hang up cuz dont want to other people hear... For example, one show talk abt one woman dialing 911 and hang up, then police check up that house and her husband said whats up with police on their house and police said some called 911 then her husband saw woman cried, but police continued ask them why she called 911 and hang up then woman admitted that her husband beat her up, so police decided to under arrested on man for assault battery...

I'm the same way - I like watching COPS too but not often now these days since it usually is a rerun. In a case of event like this - a woman who calls the 911 and hangs up is trying to "send" a message in fear of an abusive husband should and always be traced when the 911 dispatching system picks it up. I mean anything can happen in seconds or minutes. So that is why it is always imperative to have the police or other emergency services to check it up to make the citizens safe.

Buckdodgers said:
Remember JOHN Q? Well John Q dad took the hospital hostage because the hospital adminstrator refused to put his son on the donor list because his son had an enlarged heart.I wonder if this kid loses the lawsuit when he turns 18 hes gonna hold the mayor hostage until the city pays him the million dollars.

And remember on A Current Affair show a 9-11 dispatcher telling the lady the intruder twiching the door is not an emergency while the lady was hiding in the closet.Later the intruder found the lady in closet raped and murder the lady.Her husband sued the county 6.5 million dollars but the judge overturned the verdict and another case jury gave him 1.5 million.So i hope the kid gets at least 10 million.

Yeah, I've seen the movie "John Q" - Very Good Movie that is. The lawsuit for that 911 incident is in progress right now. I just hope that the city would have the sense to help the boy and his family through this because the damage has already been done and there's no coming back to repair it. Btw, If those 2 911 dispatchers are convicted - They will spend a year in jail. In my opinion - A year in jail is pretty much not enough. I think the court should make an order to get them to go through some kind of counseling and alot of trainings in the mistake that they had made. So they (the 2 911 dispatchers) should not be working near the telephones again when a emergency arises.

Ah That is an interesting piece of what was on Current Affair - I don't know how stupid it can get when they think the emergencies are not so serious and it is VERY serious. I would hope the kid at least get some reasonable amount of money for the grieving and for what has already been done.

Heath said:
I think it would be a good idea for the 911 dispatchers to keep track of the prank calls they get every year then based on that confidential figures they get annually then the police department can start hiring a unit dedicated to finding out if a 911 call is a prank or a real phone 911 call and if a 911 dispatcher thinks this is a prank call, he or she can say nothing then send out the police unit out to check if the 911 call is for real or not which will free up more police officers to focus on real 911 calls and I also think the investigating police officers should have a gun and a badge and the same arresting powers as police officers because what if that 911 unit rolled to the location and it is a real 911 phone call then the police need to defend innocent life in addition to their own lives too as they put their life on the line every time a 911 call comes over the C.B. in the police car. In this way we will not have any more tragic incidients like this article at the top of the thread posting so I think that is taxpayer's money well spent and save real lives in the process too.

How can they be able to keep track of the prank calls since they deal with it everyday? I mean sure it's a great idea to keep track of them but you got to remember, They are focused and centered on a serious call which is not prankful. Also about the idea of hiring an unit to track the prank calls would cost alot of money and it'd be us the taxpayers to pay up for those tracking team? Sometime you can't see what goes over there and the dispatchers already do send polices to the location where the call orginated to see if it was a prank call or not. So why would it be worth it to set up an unit just only for the prank calls? Isn't that what police do to check them up in and out?
 
:tears: That's AWFUL. We need better 911 services. Very often they do think it's a prank if a kid calls, even though it's usually real. Many don't believe child abuse calls (if the child calls) or calls like these where the parents is unable to talk. They need to stop "verifying" calls from kids and assume the kid is telling the truth. It's like they don't believe anything kids say unless their parents confirm it, and that NEVER works for calls where the parent(s) are unconscious or otherwise unable to talk or when the child is being abused (the parents of course will lie about it then). :pissed:
 
O.o

that is completely rediculous! they could have saved someones life if only they listened to the kid. you cant automatically assume its a prank call. When i was about 11 or 12, i called 911 because my dad had passed out in the living room recliner suddenly.. thank God they didnt think it was a prank call and came right over or i dont know what would have happend to him
 
awful

I know how that kid feels because when I was a child and up to now even the cops dispatcher doesn't always believe me nor do the cops and then all the cops say now days is that if you have so many problems then get out or work it out and I have been abused since age 5. I tell you call to 911 should always be checked out at all cost. that is why we have the 911 system.

Deaflinuxgeek
 
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