Lifesupporters.com Forums - View Single Post - Mother dies as boy's emergency call dismissed as prank...

Luba · 04-11-2006, 09:03 AM

from "The Sydney Morning Herald"

A lawyer said he planned a lawsuit over the death of a woman whose young son called 911 to report she had collapsed, only to be told he should not be playing on the phone.

The lawyer, Geoffrey Fieger, best known for defending the assisted suicide advocate Dr. Jack Kevorkian, appeared on NBC television on Sunday with the boy, Robert Turner, who turned six last month.

Mr. Fieger said the boy's mother, Sherrill Turner, who had an enlarged heart, would have survived if help had been sent immediately.

The boy recounted his conversation with the 911 operator.

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

After his mother collapsed in February, Robert placed two calls to 911. In the first call, about 6pm, he told an operator his mother had passed out, but the 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 officers arrived after the second call but by then Ms. Turner, 46, was dead.

In a statement on Friday the Detroit police chief said it was important not to rush to judgement.

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I saw this story on the 6:00 p.m. News last night and was overwhelmed with sadness for the little boy

But after some thought wondered just how many crank calls the 911 people get that police respond to that are actually a hoax

In the end, I think this is a sad, sad story for everyone concerned...

04-11-2006, 09:03 AM	#1 (permalink)
Luba Moderator Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 12,781	Mother dies as boy's emergency call dismissed as prank... from "The Sydney Morning Herald" A lawyer said he planned a lawsuit over the death of a woman whose young son called 911 to report she had collapsed, only to be told he should not be playing on the phone. The lawyer, Geoffrey Fieger, best known for defending the assisted suicide advocate Dr. Jack Kevorkian, appeared on NBC television on Sunday with the boy, Robert Turner, who turned six last month. Mr. Fieger said the boy's mother, Sherrill Turner, who had an enlarged heart, would have survived if help had been sent immediately. The boy recounted his conversation with the 911 operator. "She thought I was playing on the phone," he said. After his mother collapsed in February, Robert placed two calls to 911. In the first call, about 6pm, he told an operator his mother had passed out, but the 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 officers arrived after the second call but by then Ms. Turner, 46, was dead. In a statement on Friday the Detroit police chief said it was important not to rush to judgement. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I saw this story on the 6:00 p.m. News last night and was overwhelmed with sadness for the little boy But after some thought wondered just how many crank calls the 911 people get that police respond to that are actually a hoax In the end, I think this is a sad, sad story for everyone concerned...