Botched 911 Calls Blamed in Young Mothers Death
I saw this story when it 1st aired, a few weeks back and I was outraged. Too much so to sit down and truly express how I felt. Tonight, I felt that I needed to get all of the frustration, heartbreak and heartache out - and let others know too.The Story
If you aren't familiar with Denise Amber Lee's story then allow me to get you up to speed. Denise was home with her two small boys when she was taken against her will by a man, Michael King, in a green camaro. Denise did everything right and did everything in her power to survive. She managed to get the kidnapper's cell phone and dial 911. For 6 whole minutes she talked to the kidnapper while 911 listened and she said things like "Why did you take me from my home?" "I just want to get back to my family at ..." and she included her street name. She gave 911 operators all the information they needed to understand she was a victim of a shocking crime.
Regrettably, 6 minutes wasn't enough for 911 operators to get a trace.
They Dropped The Ball
Opportunity after opportunity presented itself for people to help Denise and save her life. When the kidnapper stopped at Harold Muxlow's house (his cousin), she managed - against all odds - to get out of the car - even though she was bound with duct tape - and scream for help. She begged Harold "Help! Call the cops!" Instead he gave the kidnapper, his cousin, a shovel, a flashlight and a can of gas telling police later he bought his cousin's story that it was for a lawn mower repair situation.
It was such an obvious lie to police. As soon as Michael drove off with Denise, Harold called his daughter and told her what happened. He didn't feel right about the situation but also didn't feel concerned enough to contact the police. Fortunately, his daughter called the police and reported what had happened at her father's house.
Later, at least two witnesses, both men might I add, saw Denise duct taped in the back of the green camaro screaming for her life - so loudly that people could hear her in their cars - and wildly banging on the windows. Neither followed the car that took her farther and farther from her family. Neither bothered to dial 911. Both men stated that they thought it was a domestic situation and didn't want to get involved. WTF is that about?
Finally, a woman heard Denise's horrifying screams for help as she drove by and saw her frantically banging the palms of her hands on the car windows that she called 911. Police were already searching for Denise and knew that she was in a green camaro. The woman told them what she saw but flubbed the color of the car claiming it looked like a blue or dark colored camaro. She gave them a description of the driver - who they had already named from the earlier 911 cell phone call - and she even told them the name of the exact street and cross street he had turned on. That women just knew in her gut something wasn't right. Thank goodness for women's intuition.
Sadly, the 911 operator never did anything with the information. Though there were police cars in the area, police dogs searching the area and a police helicopter in the air, the 911 operator never dispatched the call or sent a car to the scene. Worse yet, there were police cars on the exact street and they were never notified he was driving down it with Denise.
A Horrifying End
Denise was murdered that night. Michael King brutally raped her and then shot her and buried her in a shallow grave a few miles from where the lady reported seeing her to the 911 operator. She was buried with shovel Michael got from his cousin Harold.
What makes this even more tragic is that Denise did everything in her power to survive this madman and yet she didn't - but could have if people would have helped. She plucked hair from her head and included the roots - so DNA could be taken from them and tucked it into the seats of Michael's car. She took off the ring her husband gave her and hid that too in the car seats too for further evidence.
Denise's dad was a sheriff at the same police department that last 911 call came into. What a tragedy they didn't handle it appropriately.
Did I mention that Denise had two beautiful sons? Did I tell you Denise was a dedicated wife and mother, a newlywed married for just 4 years. Denise was only 21 when she was murdered.
Anger and Outrage
I am outraged that a woman who fought so hard to survive was let down by SO many people - but I am disgusted that the people who should have been protecting her and doing their job DROPPED the ball.
I am furious that so many people had the opportunity to help Denise and they did nothing. Nothing! I can't believe that people could be so disconnected, self-centered and heartless. I was appalled at the comments from the witnesses like "I didn't want to get involved because I thought it was a domestic dispute". What if it were? How would it being a domestic dispute make what was happening any less serious while the woman is screaming for her life and banging on car windows for help? Why, because the guy torturing her is her husband? Ridiculous.
Better yet, why are WE ALL not outraged by this story tonight? I know I wasn't the only person watching Primtime tonight to see this.
Why aren't we out of our minds with fury about the lack of discipline the 911 operators received? 5 day suspension for what, in all probability, cost this young mother her life? 5 days? Seriously? When did that become acceptable to us as a community? Why aren't the Police Department and the Police Chief being held accountable for this debacle? Why is this acceptable to us as citizens? When did accountability go out the window? Why do these people still have their jobs? When is enough finally enough?
911 Reform
More importantly, what can WE do to make sure that there is 911 reform? The bill that was passed, which voluntarily, only requires that 911 operators receive a minimum of 208 hours of training (in my opinion), doesn't require enough from the people who are the 1st link in a long chain that is responsible for saving lives.
You can learn more about the 911 reform bill that was passed through these articles:
Emergency dispatch training bill named for Charlotte County woman - WWSB ABC 7 Thu, 04/24/2008 - 20:14
Charlotte Sun-HeraldEmergency dispatch training bill named for Charlotte County womanWWSB ABC 7, FL - Apr 24, 2008(AP) - A bill that would create a training and certification program for 9-1-1 dispatchers is being named for a Charlotte County woman.
Denise Lee inspired 911 law passes Sarasota Herald-Tribune
911 bill named for murdered woman Bradenton Herald
Senate passes 911 bill, dubbed 'Denise Amber Lee Act' Charlotte Sun-Herald
Get Involved
Please take some time to read the full story about what really happened to Denise on ABC News: Are Botched 911 Calls to Blame for Denise Lee's Death? then visit DeniseAmberLee.org to get involved in 911 Reform to help fix the problem within the system.
Everyone should take the time to get informed and write to their state legislators to ensure that 911 reform is a priority in their state. You never know who's life might be on the line the next time you have to dial 911.
Dished out by Dayngr at
11:57 PM
9 comment(s):
Wow. Its appauling that someting like that can happen in front of so many people, and noone does anything to stop it. Is that the world we live in?
By
Erica Ortiz, at
July 24, 2008 9:15 AM
That is the saddest thing I've heard in quite some time and it makes me so very angry.
My father is the chaplain for our police department and the cops make fun of me frequently b/c I seem to call 911 on a regular basis. I call 911 at the smallest things, bc I know they could become big things in a matter of seconds.
By
lspoon, at
July 24, 2008 9:22 AM
I had not heard this story and I'm stunned. Where to begin?
The foundation that the company I work for is built on is the premise that "people are basically good." I believe this in my heart and I see the world through that lens. However there are factors that make people who are basically good do very stupid, thoughtless, lazy things. The number of people who had an opportunity to help this woman and didn't is very disheartening.
One of my favorite words is Ubuntu which is Swahili for "my humanity is tied to yours" meaning that anything that happens to you, also happens to me and we are all responsible for each others well being. Clearly the people in this situation had never thought about that before.
And with regards to the 911 operator...I would argue that if that person couldn't have done any better given the information at hand, then that person is in the wrong line of work and should be terminated immediately. In fact, if I were that person, I would have resigned on the spot (although I think that if I were in fact that person, it wouldn't have happened in the first place). Time for a career change. Why isn't anyone telling the operator that?
Thanks for all of the information at the end of this post. I'll do some exploring!
Crap.
By
Kris, at
July 25, 2008 12:09 AM
Thats so sad that this has happened.. I mean 911 is there to protect us not let us down.
I think 911 service all of it in all 50 states needs to be restructered somehow
That is just SHAMEFUL.
~ Christopher ~
http://cmarlow480.blogspot.com/
By
Christopher, at
July 25, 2008 10:00 AM
As a 911 dispatcher I, too, was shocked and appalled that something of this magnitude could have fallen through the cracks like it did. I don't know what they were thinking in that dispatch center and I'm certainly in no position to point fingers but perhaps part of the problem there, as it seems to be in so many dispatch centers across the country, is one of negligent retention.
Not everyone is cut out to be a 911 operator and it doesn't matter how many hours of training you have. Sadly, though, most departments are understaffed and dispatchers are horribly overworked (not to mention underpaid).
If you are going to put people in positions dealing with life and death then perhaps you need to make sure that those people are well-qualified, well-trained, and well-compensated because it is not an easy job and obviously when things go wrong, they can go wrong very, very badly.
It would also help if people would STOP calling 911 for things like directions, the time the fireworks are going off, and barking dog complaints just to name a few ...
By
Linda, at
July 25, 2008 12:44 PM
Very disturbing. The first time hearing about this...why!? Very sad for her and the boys!
By
Mark Salinas, at
July 30, 2008 10:42 AM
This is so tragic. I cannot believe something like this could happen.
By
crazy working mom, at
July 30, 2008 12:22 PM
Last winter, as I was waiting for the bus, a woman came running down the street, in a thin T-shirt and her underwear. Her bf had woken her up out of a dead sleep and started beating on her, for what she didn't know. In her fear to get out, she left without pants, without shoes, without her kids.
I gave her my coat. I walked her to my house. I made her tea. I called 911. The police came. By the time she'd called down, she was unwilling to make much of a case against the guy, and she had no visible injuries. The police thanked me for my help, but said I should have called 911 from the road, and not taken her in.
Like hell.
Let us all try to be the change in the world that we want to see. Evil wins when good does nothing.
By
The musishian, at
September 03, 2008 11:08 AM
Please visit www.deniseamberlee.org for more info and ways you can help. Thanks~
By
Anonymous, at
October 14, 2008 8:14 AM
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