Mom Dies after Boy's 911 Call Deemed a Prank

[PixieDust32]

OMG! How sad. I saw the story on TV last night and the little boy broke my heart, he said that he did called 911 but the lady didn't care, and his Mommy is gone. I was in shock.

 

[jekajekalynn]

I heard it on the news.... Yet ANOTHER reason why I'm glad I don't live in Detroit!

 

[DVC Sadie]

That poor little boy! Its unconscionable that a 911 operator did not send someone to help. She should be fired and personally sued.

 

[twinklebug]

Is it just me or does the 911 operator sound excessively nasty.

I would think that they would train people to communicate with young children.

"911 WHAT's the PROBLEM?"

instead of "911 - How may we help?"

Although it was apparent she was talking with a very young child she never asked his name or age or did anything of any sort to communicate with HIM.

 

[Marseeya]

Is it just me or does the 911 operator sound excessively nasty.

I would think that they would train people to communicate with young children.

"911 WHAT's the PROBLEM?"

instead of "911 - How may we help?"

Although it was apparent she was talking with a very young child she never asked his name or age or did anything of any sort to communicate with HIM.

That's what I thought too.

That woman needs to get down on her knees and beg that boy's forgiveness for the rest of his life. Maybe that's going over the top, but it's the way I feel. I'd hate to think of anyone treating my kids that way on what would be one of the most traumatic days of their lives.

 

[Kitty 34]

He feel so sorry for that little boy.

 

[mrFDNY]

Hi all,
I know for sure that in nyc every 911 call is responded too and checked out.The only time a 911 call is canceled or not entered into the system if you call 911 from a hospital,complaning that you want a ambulance to another hospital cause you have been waiting at the first one too long.Other than that every single 911 call is checked out

 

[MouseWorshipin]

Is it just me or does the 911 operator sound excessively nasty.

I would think that they would train people to communicate with young children.

"911 WHAT's the PROBLEM?"

instead of "911 - How may we help?"

Although it was apparent she was talking with a very young child she never asked his name or age or did anything of any sort to communicate with HIM.

I don't have a problem with "what's the problem?" The fewer syllables the better in an emergency. I had a guy break in once, they said, "What's the problem?" - didn't bother me a bit. But they weren't nasty, for crying out loud.

But, YES!! She was so very rude and mean! The attitude ALONE should get her fired.

I can't think about this anymore.

 

[goofyandplutoluver]

Wow. She has the shame in herself forever. Even if it was a prank....

Poor kid!

 

[AnaheimGirl]

That is so horrible. I too, am appalled that a dispatcher would be allowed to make that decision on the phone.

I'm sitting here crying for that poor little boy, who did exactly what he was supposed to do. Can you imagine, if the mom had been saved, he'd be all over the news being hailed as hero for knowing enough to call 911. He did the right thing and the adult didn't believe him. Shame on her.

 

[momrek06]

Is it just me or does the 911 operator sound excessively nasty.

I would think that they would train people to communicate with young children.

"911 WHAT's the PROBLEM?"

instead of "911 - How may we help?"

Although it was apparent she was talking with a very young child she never asked his name or age or did anything of any sort to communicate with HIM.

I just listened to the calls and she sounds rude, in a hurry, and nasty ALL AT ONCE. Like she was preoccupied by something ELSE yet this IS her job and she should be MORE PROFESSIONAL.

HORRIBLE!

AND WHY YES WHY is she still a dispatcher. If I lived in that precinct I would be pretty SCARED about calling 911, as I would wonder if they are taking me seriously or NOT!!!

 

[irishbosoxfan]

Absolutely horrible and terrifying at the same time--I know for me I have a heart condition and my 2 DD's know about 911 so if I was laying on the floor ready to die and my DD4 called I would be praying someone was coming regardless if the could totally understand her or not------What if that had been some kid kidnapped and unable to talk for fear of being heard by her abductors and waiting for the cavalry to rescue her?

That operator(both calls it sounds like the same person answered) needs to be fired and the city and her personally need to be sued for every last dime they have--to leave that poor child there with his dead or dying mother for that length of time is reprehensible---That poor boy now has to live with the knowledge that because of him his mom died and that is just not right by any means

 

[DawnCt1]

Absolutely horrible and terrifying at the same time--I know for me I have a heart condition and my 2 DD's know about 911 so if I was laying on the floor ready to die and my DD4 called I would be praying someone was coming regardless if the could totally understand her or not------What if that had been some kid kidnapped and unable to talk for fear of being heard by her abductors and waiting for the cavalry to rescue her?

That operator(both calls it sounds like the same person answered) needs to be fired and the city and her personally need to be sued for every last dime they have--to leave that poor child there with his dead or dying mother for that length of time is reprehensible---That poor boy now has to live with the knowledge that because of him his mom died and that is just not right by any means

I agree. She isn't being fired because it never happened before? Change that to she never got caught before.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I heard this last night, could not believe what I was hearing. So sad, so wrong.

 

[CrazedDisFan]

This story is beyond appalling. It needs NATIONAL attention. I have a hard time recalling another time when I have been so outraged by something. I live in Michigan and had the displeasure of viewing this on the local news. It is a hot topic of conversation here and people are beyond furious, as everyone should be.

 

[lbgraves]

That poor child! Something more needs to be done to that dispatcher!!!

I don't feel as secure about 911 around here anymore. I called one night because I was afraid that someone was breaking into our garage that is attached to the house. I told the dispatcher that I was home alone with 2 young sleeping children. It was 9:25 pm. A police car didn't come until 9:56 pm. After I realized that noone was trying to break in because they would have within the first 10 minutes, I became more upset at the fact that the three of us could have all been killed before anyone got there. After the neighbor heard about it he told me to call him at any hour & he would be right over.

 

[skuttle]

Wow...that is just horrible! I haven't listened to the call...just can't bring myself to listen to it, but just from reading what everyone else has said I think that dispatcher should be fired asap! That is NOT the type of "mistake" anyone can afford. That poor little boy.

 

[VSL]

This story is beyond appalling. It needs NATIONAL attention. I have a hard time recalling another time when I have been so outraged by something. I live in Michigan and had the displeasure of viewing this on the local news. It is a hot topic of conversation here and people are beyond furious, as everyone should be.

It needs more than national attention - I know that if this happened in the UK there would be public outcry. Also, we have some of the most aggressive tabloid papers and they would be straight on this to get this woman fired.

There's got to be something that can be done. I know that the little boy has lost his mother and nothing can be done to undo that, but that woman needs to be fired (and possibly more)!!

I am disgusted that she hasn't even lost her job over this

 

[CrazedDisFan]

An update from this morning's local news....

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006604080384

Geoffrey Fieger, a prominent high profile attorney from the area, is filing suit on behalf of the boy. Fieger's office will release details from the case on Monday.

 

[froglady]

I was also shocked that the dispatcher did not keep questioning the child! Just a couple more questions would have determined that it wasn't a prank, but she just couldn't be bothered. And even when she THOUGHT it was a prank, had she just done what she threatened (I'm going to send a policeman there") the woman might have survived, or at the very least, the child wouldn't have been sitting alone for three hours with his dead mother.