911 operator scolds dying woman's son

Phlegm · Post by **Phlegm** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 8:43 am

From Associated Press:

DETROIT, Michigan (AP) -- A lawyer said he plans a lawsuit over the death of a woman whose young son called 911 to report she had collapsed, only to be told he shouldn't be playing on the phone.

Geoffrey Fieger, best known for defending assisted-suicide advocate Jack Kevorkian, appeared Sunday on NBC's "Today" with the boy, Robert Turner, who turned 6 last month.

Fieger said Sherrill Turner, who had an enlarged heart, would have survived February 20 if help had been sent immediately.

On the show, the boy recounted his talk with the 911 operator.

"She thought I was playing on the phone," Robert said.

By the time authorities arrived, Sherrill Turner, 46, was dead.

"This indicates an endemic problem," Fieger said. "There's a discounting of children. Robert did exactly what he was taught to do."

Detroit police are investigating the 911 response. A spokesman did not immediately return a call Sunday.

After Turner collapsed, Robert placed two calls to 911.

In the first call about 6 p.m., Robert told an operator his mother had passed out, but an operator asked to speak with an adult.

When he called back about three hours later, an operator told him: "You shouldn't be playing on the phone."

Police arrived after the second call.

In a statement Friday, Police Chief Ella Bully-Cummings said it was important not to rush to judgment and indicated she would have no further comment because of "imminent or impending litigation."

Fieger said he plans to file the wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Detroit on Monday.

kaharthemad · Post by **kaharthemad** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 8:52 am

nice cant we get a article in here that does not depress the shit out of me?

Ginzburgh · Post by **Ginzburgh** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 9:10 am

Al Sharpton inc!

kaharthemad · Post by **kaharthemad** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 9:14 am

all the kid needed to do the first time is say "Look bitch, I dont think you gots the fucking balls to come up in here and arrest me."

Tikker · Post by **Tikker** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 9:18 am

how many crank calls a day do you think 911 gets

Adivina · Post by **Adivina** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 9:19 am

Hearing this story on the news last night made me really sad.

kaharthemad · Post by **kaharthemad** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 9:20 am

all major cities have this same problem. you get into smaller cities and this goes away. they usually send a cop out. Byt law in most states even if the operator sends it in as a prank call, the cops have to come out and knock on the door.

Adivina · Post by **Adivina** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 9:22 am

That was my thought Kaha, 911 is supposed to respond to all calls, at least by giving a call back or sending an officer out to the location, just to cover their ass.

Tuggan · Post by **Tuggan** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 1:59 pm

oh man, fieger is on the case. this kids finna be loaded.

Spazz · Post by **Spazz** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 2:00 pm

Totally. And i allways thought that if you called 911 they sent someone and thats why if its not an emergancy you get in deep shit.

Sorina S · Post by **Sorina S** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 4:09 pm

The 911 operator told the kid she was sending the police the -first- time he called. That didn't happen, that was the mistake. The kid called back almost an hour later and then the 911 operator berated him for callin a prank. About 30% of 911 calls are bogus. But what matter is that to you, when you slice your arm off with a power saw in your nice suburban neighborhood or your west Philly rowhouse and your kid calls 911, well...do you expect to be helped?

I think government has a duty to provide what they say they will provide. I pay my taxes, if they can launch Tomahawk missile strikes anywhere on the earth they sure as hell better be able to get paramedics and police to my house ASAP. And they know well enough to have more than they need to account for 'pranks', just like they have more Tomahawks than they need, in case of failed missions.

911 operators are not in a position to make judgement calls, they are simply a communications tool. They are not paramedics or police or firefighters, they are communications relay personel. This same shit has happened before, in Philly not long ago with tragic results. I pay alot in taxes, I bet it be easier to get a load of CBUs dropped on my house than a cop if I need him.

SS~

Narrock · Post by **Narrock** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 4:27 pm

There's not much you can do about an enlarged heart. The father of a good friend of mine died from an enlarged heart. The only thing paramedics could have done was to possibly delay the inevitable. Still though, the 911 operator should have taken the call seriously. I would not want to be in that person's shoes...

Gargamellow · Post by **Gargamellow** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 4:32 pm

911 sends out a car upon receipt of call to the address coming from the phone or whatever address is given in the call

Sorina S · Post by **Sorina S** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 5:18 pm

Gargamellow wrote:911 sends out a car upon receipt of call to the address coming from the phone or whatever address is given in the call

Word is, in this case that never happened. Why, pfft I dunno. The outcome isn't the point though, the kid called 911, as his mother had taught him to do, and nobody came. That's the point, we can do alot of things in this advanced society of ours. We can do alot of things...

It's a tragedy no doubt, but there was was inefficiency on the part of the 911 operations. If I have a heart attack, which I'm sure all of you hope is fairly soon. When I call 911, I want action, I expect, no I demand, action, I paid for it, I supported it...it better be there. heh...

That's the way most people think, and for some that may be their dying thought...'shit I paid my taxes I led an honest life I just need a little help right now...' I've seen it go down this way, maybe you have to...The kid aksed for help, and noone came...in Detroit. Pathetic...

Phlegm · Post by **Phlegm** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 7:14 pm

From CNN: Attorney Geoffrey Fieger said the family of Sherrill Lynn Turner, Robert Turner's mother, is seeking $1 million in damages from the city of Detroit.

Captain Insano · Post by **Captain Insano** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 9:21 pm

Article should have been entitled: "Lazy black women kill people and also provide shitty service when I call Dell tech support."

Post by **Martrae** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 9:25 pm

You get black women when you call Dell???? Kahar always gets some guy from Calcutta named John.

Harrison · Post by **Harrison** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 9:28 pm

Names I've gotten from tech support (first tier usleless tards)

Steve
John
Bob
Bill
Mike

Not one of them spoke fluent english.

They did however speak perfect engrish.

"Don't you dare read me the textbook's reply, and answer my fucking question."

"I here to answer all question"

:banghead:

Darcler · Post by **Darcler** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 9:30 pm

My cousin was setting up her cellphone she got for Christmas. Her birthday is 911 and somehow she ended up calling them. Being the tard she is, she hung up when she heard a voice on the line. They called the phone back and she wouldnt answer, so I did for her and the operator asked if things were ok and if a car needed to be sent out. I said no, my cousin is a moron and dialed on accident.

So Dallas > Detroit

Harrison · Post by **Harrison** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 9:38 pm

That's like being the top student in special ed :wink:

Detroit was a shithole I don't want to re-visit.

Darcler · Post by **Darcler** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 9:55 pm

Like being the smartest kid with Downs Syndrome?

Man that had some win quotes in it.

10sun · Post by **10sun** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 8:06 am

I'm betting the kid didn't tell her the address with the first call and his phone lines didn't support the enhance traceback feature. That is why a car was not dispatched the first time.

That is just me giving the benefit of the doubt though.

-Adam

Post by **Martrae** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 9:16 am

They somehow managed to send a car the second time after telling him to quit playing with the phone.