Arreat Posted April 10, 2006 Share Posted April 10, 2006 http://www.insideedition.com/ourstories/inside_stories/story.aspx?storyid=129 "It's one of the first things a parent teaches a child: call 911 in an emergency. There have been many accounts of heroic children coming to the aid of their sick or injured parents, often with a happy ending, where the children are hailed as heroes. However when five-year-old Robert Turner dialed 9-1-1 to get help for his mom at their Detroit apartment, nobody treated him as a hero. The dispatcher told him "You shouldn't be playing on the phone. Now put her on the phone before I send the police out there to knock on the door and you're going to be in trouble." Robert was alone with his 46-year-old mother Sherill when she collapsed from an apparent enlarged heart. By the time help finally reached her, she was dead. Now high-profile attorney Geoffrey Fieger is suing on behalf of the Turner family. His 9-1-1 call went as follows: Dispatcher: Emergency 911, where's the problem? Robert: My mom has passed out ... Dispatcher: Where's Mr. Turner at? Robert: Right here. Dispatcher: Let me speak to him. Robert: She's not gonna talk. Dispatcher: OK, well, I'm going to send the police to your house to find out what's going on with you ... Three hours later Robert called again, reportedly reaching a different dispatcher. Dispatcher: Emergency 911, where is the problem? Robert: My mom has passed out in her room. Dispatcher: Where's the grown-up at? Robert: In her room. Dispatcher: Let me speak to her before I send the police over there. Robert: She's not gonna talk. Dispatcher: Huh? Robert: She's not gonna talk. Dispatcher: OK, well, you know what? Then she's gonna talk to the police, OK? She's gonna talk to the police because I'm sending them over there. Robert: (Inaudible.) Dispatcher: I don't care. You shouldn't be playing on the phone. Now put her on the phone before I send the police out there to knock on the door and you're going to be in trouble.") The family is seeking damages in excess of $1 million from the city of Detroit. Detroit police are investigating the 911response, and the chief has warned not to rush to judgment." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BongoBob Posted April 10, 2006 Share Posted April 10, 2006 Well the kid did word that oddly, but then again, he's only a kid. I hope that Dispatcher will never be able to sleep again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commander Obi-Wan Posted April 11, 2006 Share Posted April 11, 2006 He's just a kid, but still should now not to do that. Just bad parents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Datheus Posted April 11, 2006 Share Posted April 11, 2006 He's just a kid, but still should now not to do that. Just bad parents. He should know not to do what? He called 911 because his mother was dying. Not bad parents. Dead parents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commander Obi-Wan Posted April 11, 2006 Share Posted April 11, 2006 He should know not to do what? He called 911 because his mother was dying. Not bad parents. Dead parents. Oops. Must have missed read it........ I stand corrected. I meant that towards the Dispatcher actually..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Det. Bart Lasiter Posted April 11, 2006 Share Posted April 11, 2006 I hope the family wins the suit. The mother's death was the dispatcher's fault, and they should be held accountable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Datheus Posted April 11, 2006 Share Posted April 11, 2006 If the tapes sound exactly as, "My mother has passed out." "Put her on the phone," then both dispatchers should be fired. And sent to the land of Nod. Gross negligence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt-Man Posted April 11, 2006 Share Posted April 11, 2006 douches....The dispatchers..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uber_Saber Posted April 11, 2006 Share Posted April 11, 2006 and the chief has warned not to rush to judgment." Er... yes, we'd hate to rush to judgement, now wouldn't we? The first conversation in the transcripts seems a little odd to me. Sure, the kid could have spoken better, but he's five, and his mom had just collapsed. He was probably scared out of his skull. EDIT: You know what, never mind crank calls, that's just stupid to hear "My mom's passed out" and then ask where the grown-ups are and not listen to the kid. Honestly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoxStar Posted April 11, 2006 Share Posted April 11, 2006 "She's not gonna talk" is certainly an odd choice of words. Both dispatchers should've asked for clarification insatead of snapping at the child. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TK-8252 Posted April 11, 2006 Share Posted April 11, 2006 Sweet. A kid says his mom is passed out, so they're going to ask to speak to the kid's mom. <3 common sense Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seph Posted April 11, 2006 Share Posted April 11, 2006 Yea, poor kid just obeying his teachings and look we got douschebag dispatchers makin it harder to teach em Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Posted April 11, 2006 Share Posted April 11, 2006 This could only happen in Detroit... Well hopefully something will be done to at least prevent this from happening in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vikinor Posted April 11, 2006 Share Posted April 11, 2006 I hope the family wins. It still won't get that kid his mom back though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ET Warrior Posted April 11, 2006 Share Posted April 11, 2006 This article doesn't mention it, but in a CNN article they talk about how this isn't the first case of operator idiocy. At a news conference announcing the filing of the suit, Fieger said Robert Turner's case is not the only one. He played another 911 tape from January 12, 2005, in which a woman who had been shot in the head by her husband called 911. On the tape, the operator can be heard asking the woman if she has a mental problem and then asking that the husband who shot the woman be put on the phone. Rescuers did not come until a third call was placed by the woman's son, who lives out of state. It's nice to know that we've such competent people operating the system in place to save our lives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BongoBob Posted April 11, 2006 Share Posted April 11, 2006 That **** just pisses me off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IG-64 Posted April 11, 2006 Share Posted April 11, 2006 That's a heartbreaking story. I don't care how many prank calls your city gets, you should investigate every one of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynk Former Posted April 11, 2006 Share Posted April 11, 2006 So much for taking every call seriously... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reclaimer Posted April 11, 2006 Share Posted April 11, 2006 Wow. Something like this happened where I live. A 55 year old man fell down his stairs and his mentally retarded wife called 9-1-1. The dispatcher thought it was a prank call since she was handicapped. 4 hours later, there son came home to visit and took his father to the hospital, where he was found out to be paralyzed for over 2 hours, which could've been treated for. Now, as for the dispatcher, she was fired and then sued for money for all the medical bills. So his just amazes me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Knight of Keno Posted April 11, 2006 Share Posted April 11, 2006 The text book version of the call: Dispatcher: Emergency 911, what's the problem 5 year old kid: Yes, hello. This is David McArthur and I am calling because my mother has lost contiousness. There is a very weak pulse, she has trouble breathing and I've tried anything to wake her up Dispatcher: Allright, David. We'll send someone right on over David: Please be quick, I think she has an enlargened heart and her blood pressure is crashing rapidly Dispatcher: Allright, I'll send an ambulance. Please don't hang up before the ambulance is there David: No, that is quite allright. I'm a doctor One thing more to the list "Why I am happy I don't live in the glorious and magnificent US of A" >.> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CapNColostomy Posted April 11, 2006 Share Posted April 11, 2006 One thing more to the list "Why I am happy I don't live in the glorious and magnificent US of A" >.> I don't know, because that could happen anywhere, really. Not sure what living in the United States has to do with the price of tea in China...Some idiots, however, will take any opportunity they can to show their ignorance, jealosy, and hatred for the United States. I've come to understand that, even if I do still find it irritating. On topic, that's a sad story. His mom might be alive today if only they hadn't had the misfortune of living "in the glorious and magnificent US of A." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWally Posted April 11, 2006 Share Posted April 11, 2006 I wonder what the dispatcher was thinking after he/she heard the mother was dead.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe© Posted April 12, 2006 Share Posted April 12, 2006 One thing more to the list "Why I am happy I don't live in the glorious and magnificent US of A" Yes because living in any other country besides the US is better You know... there are sets of thumb screws for both dispatchers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPY_jmr1 Posted April 28, 2006 Share Posted April 28, 2006 That reminds me, don't get hurt in Detroit. I've been there a half-dozen times or so, big city... Screwed up city. This somehow doesn't surprise me *much*, but jebus, that's just insane. Not to be dr. evil-ish, if I were that lawyer, the city would be getting a one hundred *BILLION* dollar suit brought against them. I mean, if I were five and that happened-- screw it, I wouldn't trust 911 again! How can you provide reparations for that? Esshh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabretooth Posted April 28, 2006 Share Posted April 28, 2006 This is just plain stupid and all the Dispatcher's fault. If I were the attorney, I would have sued for atleast a billion bucks. The Dispatcher virtually killed the woman, dammit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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