911 Told Mom Shana Dees They Can’t Help Unless Child Is In Distress After 10m/o Gets Locked In Car

[Whisper]

Shana Dees, seen with her 10-month-old son, Jack, is speaking out after she mistakenly locked her son in her car and a Florida 911 dispatcher declined to help unless the child was in 'distress.'​

[...]
terrified Florida mom who mistakenly locked her baby in a sweltering car was told by a 911 dispatcher to call back when it's an emergency, according to the call's recording.
[....]
shocking response to panicked mother Shana Dees ended with a Good Samaritan eventually smashing in one of her car's windows to rescue the child — and the dispatcher likely facing discipline.

"I was just sitting there, watching him get hotter and turn redder, and he was soaked with sweat," the astonished mother told
[...]
of Saturday's nerve-wracking rescue outside a New Tampa CVS.
[...]
she had just placed her son, Jack, in his car seat after running an errand with him when she turned her attention on moving her shopping cart out of the way.n the seconds after shutting the car door on Jack, she said her 10-month-old hit the car's lock button, not only locking himself inside but her keys, cellphone and purse as well.

Panicked, Dees said she managed to call 911 with a stranger's cellphone, but was left far from consoled by the dispatcher's hands-off reaction.

"My infant son is locked in the car in the parking lot," she says in the 911 call
[....]
"It is so hot outside. I'm really concerned, like I don't think I have time to call AAA before he would suffer heat exhaustion. Can somebody come out and open the door? I don't even know if that is something you guys do."
The dispatcher's response: "They won't be able to try to gain access (to the) car unless the child is in some kind of distress and, well, by that point they may just smash your windows."


The man on the line then ended their phone call.

It wasn't until eight minutes later that an off-duty officer exiting the CVS store spotted the frightened mother and called 911 himself.
A different dispatcher answered and immediately sent someone
[...]
Unfortunately for one of Dees' windows, by the time officers arrived a CVS shopper armed with a wrench had shattered the glass and freed the child to the mother's delight.

She's now calling that off-duty officer and the person who lent her their cellphone her heroes.

A Tampa police spokeswoman who has since reviewed the first 911 call's recording told
[...]
that the dispatcher will likely face disciplinary action for their handling of the situation.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/fla-mom-911-refused-locking-baby-car-article-1.1917844

Dees believes her son, pictured, locked the car door after she placed him in his car seat. She then shut the door and left her cellphone, keys and purse inside.​

after so many babies that have died this summer and this 911 dispatcher is such a dick I
hope they get fired

 

[cubby]

I keep a key hidden on the outside of my car in case I get locked out of it, and it's happened more than I care to mention. My husband has had to come home from work to let me into the car, which had my keys, pocketbook, everything in it, couldn't get into the house, nothing! I'm so forgetful about something like that. I used to keep a key pinned in my bra when I worked because I liked to keep my pocketbook locked in the trunk. Even now, with my cell phone, more often than not it's left at home. If something is not attached to me, it's going to get left...somewhere.

 

[Whisper]

I keep a key hidden on the outside of my car in case I get locked out of it, and it's happened more than I care to mention. My husband has had to come home from work to let me into the car, which had my keys, pocketbook, everything in it, couldn't get into the house, nothing! I'm so forgetful about something like that. I used to keep a key pinned in my bra when I worked because I liked to keep my pocketbook locked in the trunk. Even now, with my cell phone, more often than not it's left at home. If something is not attached to me, it's going to get left...somewhere.

my dad always made us keep a spare in wallet
which is great for a guy they usually have wallets in pant I don't
and the new keys are computer chipped and to big to keep in wallet

 

[JPowell]

just wonder how long before she would have broke the window herself....

 

[AngelFire]

This can so easily happen to lots of parents so I hope that dispatcher gets what's coming to him.

 

[cubby]

great for a guy they usually have wallets in pant I don't

Which is why I pinned it to my bra, I'd lost so many keys, locked them in the house, in the cars, I joked that my bra was one thing I was unlikely to lose or take off before the day was out. I''ve had keys go missing out of pockets, or at least I could have sworn I put them in my pants pocket, but, nope, they weren't there. Shirt pockets and jacket pockets were even worse since they are bigger and looser. Nowadays before I close and lock the house or the car, I check where my keys are, in my hand, in my pocketbook, I have to have my eyes on them before I lock anything. It's pitiful, I know, BUT, I never forgot my kids in the car, I am proud of that. LOL

 

[kennasmom]

Are 911 operators allowed to make a decision on whether or not anything is an emergency? I would imagine they are not. Anyone know?

 

[biteme]

So why not call a tow service, they're the ones that unlock car doors not cops
Did she not have insurance, I have three deferent services that will come open my door, tow my vehicle, change my tire and bring me gas if needed
Did she figure she'd have to pay a tow service to open her door, but get a freebie from the cops and fire department
Her son wasn't worth paying for the service?

 

[China]

Are 911 operators allowed to make a decision on whether or not anything is an emergency? I would imagine they are not. Anyone know?

This is true that the cops will just bust the window. They used to carry slim jims to open the car doors but the cops were getting too many calls for locksmith problems.

If the baby was in distress the cops will have no problem breaking the window.

I really don’t see what her issue is.

 

[kennasmom]

@China I meant for the initial 911 call, are the operators allowed to decide if something is an emergency? I imagine they get some really silly calls but I thought they had to act as if it was an emergency no matter what. But I don't really know?e

 

[cubby]

I think she was afraid that the locksmith or AAA would take too long to get there. I have called a locksmith to open my car at least 3 times and each time it was about an hour before they got there. I don't think she was really worried about the window, just needed to find some way to break it.

 

[biteme]

I think she was afraid that the locksmith or AAA would take too long to get there. I have called a locksmith to open my car at least 3 times and each time it was about an hour before they got there. I don't think she was really worried about the window, just needed to find some way to break it.

I think if you tell AAA or any tow service you have a child locked in a car, they would definitely expedite the service

 

[China]

@China I meant for the initial 911 call, are the operators allowed to decide if something is an emergency? I imagine they get some really silly calls but I thought they had to act as if it was an emergency no matter what. But I don't really know?e

The can make judgement calls, depending on the call.

If the tow company knows there's a child in the car, the call get's moved up to proirity.

 

[Sue sue]

This was an emergency and a police vehicle or fire truck could get there way faster than a car service. Plus AAA or wrecker can take valuable time. It only takes 10 minutes for temperatures in cars to reach life threatening temperature. This dispatcher should be fired.

 

[China]

This was an emergency and a police vehicle or fire truck could get there way faster than a car service. Plus AAA or wrecker can take valuable time. It only takes 10 minutes for temperatures in cars to reach life threatening temperature. This dispatcher should be fired.

If it was an emergency then why didn't mom bust the window out, and why didn't she tell the dispatcher that? I agree it can get really hot very quickly but I think this woman is just whoring it up for the cameras.

Same thing has happened to me, I was told the exact same thing, the cop got there cause I had 2 kids in the car, (my car was turned on) I was crying and scared, the cop got there and told me that the tow company was 10 min away or he could bust the window, he looked inside and say my kids were ok. I waited and learned my lesson, and I didn't call the news despite the dispatcher telling me they couldn't do anything.

 

[Sue sue]

If it was an emergency then why didn't mom bust the window out, and why didn't she tell the dispatcher that? I agree it can get really hot very quickly but I think this woman is just whoring it up for the cameras.

Same thing has happened to me, I was told the exact same thing, the cop got there cause I had 2 kids in the car, (my car was turned on) I was crying and scared, the cop got there and told me that the tow company was 10 min away or he could bust the window, he looked inside and say my kids were ok. I waited and learned my lesson, and I didn't call the news despite the dispatcher telling me they couldn't do anything.

I disagree that she is whoring it up for the attention. She didn't have a tool to break the window. She sought help from CVS customer (an off-duty police officer). That cop did the exact same thing has she did called 911. A third customer with a wrench brook the window. If all your items are locked in the car what are you going to use to break the window. I would make a big stink if the 911 operator did that to me in this situation. She was not being passive about this situation at all. This operator was a big failure in this situation and deserves to be called out on it and publicly too.

 

[Sue sue]

If it was an emergency then why didn't mom bust the window out, and why didn't she tell the dispatcher that? I agree it can get really hot very quickly but I think this woman is just whoring it up for the cameras.

Same thing has happened to me, I was told the exact same thing, the cop got there cause I had 2 kids in the car, (my car was turned on) I was crying and scared, the cop got there and told me that the tow company was 10 min away or he could bust the window, he looked inside and say my kids were ok. I waited and learned my lesson, and I didn't call the news despite the dispatcher telling me they couldn't do anything.

Your car was running with the air on which is very big difference in this situation.

 

[biteme]

This was an emergency and a police vehicle or fire truck could get there way faster than a car service. Plus AAA or wrecker can take valuable time. It only takes 10 minutes for temperatures in cars to reach life threatening temperature. This dispatcher should be fired.

The kid was NOT in distress, was no big deal, just because a kid is locked in a vehicle doesn't mean they automatically die, or that temperatures are overwhelming

 

[China]

I disagree that she is whoring it up for the attention. She didn't have a tool to break the window. She sought help from CVS customer (an off-duty police officer). That cop did the exact same thing has she did called 911. A third customer with a wrench brook the window. If all your items are locked in the car what are you going to use to break the window. I would make a big stink if the 911 operator did that to me in this situation. She was not being passive about this situation at all. This operator was a big failure in this situation and deserves to be called out on it and publicly too.

And she couldn't have gone to CVS and asked them to give her something to break the window with?

 

[Sue sue]

The kid was NOT in distress, was no big deal, just because a kid is locked in a vehicle doesn't mean they automatically die, or that temperatures are overwhelming

Being in a locked in a hot car will lead to distress rather quickly.

 

[biteme]

Being in a locked in a hot car will lead to distress rather quickly.

Good grief, take a deep breath and relax, this was not an emergency

 

[Sue sue]

And she couldn't have gone to CVS and asked them to give her something to break the window with?

She could have done that but in her panic that was not the thing she thought of . It was oh Shit I looked my baby in the car in this heat with my cell phone and keys. Asks a stranger for a phone to call 911 because hers was in the car. She probably didn't even dare to let the car or the baby out of sight while trying to figure out what to do.

 

[Nell]

The kid was NOT in distress, no big deal, just because a kid is locked in a vehicle doesn't mean they automatically die, or that temperatures are overwhelming

While I wouldn't call the media it was in the nineties in Tampa this weekend and the car would be at 110 in ten minutes. The weather channel did a study on it.

http://www.weather.com/newscenter/specialtopics/slideshows/hotcar061909.html

I would consider that fast of a temperature rise with an infant inside an emergency.

 

[Sue sue]

Good grief, take a deep breath and relax, this was not an emergency

I respectively disagree. We all would be bashing her ass if she intentionally locked her kid in the car and went in the store for 5 minutes.

 

[China]

She could have done that but in her panic that was not the thing she thought of . It was oh Shit I looked my baby in the car in this heat with my cell phone and keys. Asks a stranger for a phone to call 911 because hers was in the car. She probably didn't even dare to let the car or the baby out of sight while trying to figure out what to do.

I didn't think of that, but i'm not the type to play damsel in distress either. If you know your kid is locked in a hot car, do something.

Here in Florida it would get hot in 3 min inside the car, I almost have a heat stroke walking to my building from the car, but I know if my kids was locked inside I would have probably gone inside hysterical screaming bloody murder that my kid was locked in the car.

 

[biteme]

Hope she at least gave her hero BJ

 

[Sue sue]

I didn't think of that, but i'm not the type to play damsel in distress either. If you know your kid is locked in a hot car, do something.

Here in Florida it would get hot in 3 min inside the car, I almost have a heat stroke walking to my building from the car, but I know if my kids was locked inside I would have probably gone inside hysterical screaming bloody murder that my kid was locked in the car.

Sometimes when people are in a panic their mind goes blank too. The operator could have given another suggestion or even suggest she went inside to get help.

 

[Valasca]

BULLSHIT! I live here. They WILL come when a child is locked in. Lazy frickin cops didn't WANT to go.

 

[China]

BULLSHIT! I live here. They WILL come when a child is locked in. Lazy frickin cops didn't WANT to go.

Nobody said they won't go, the issue was that the dispatcher said they won't if the child isn't in distress cause all they would do is break the window.

 

[Valasca]

Nobody said they won't go, the issue was that the dispatcher said they won't if the child isn't in distress cause all they would do is break the window.

Grumble. Once again I let my emotions rule me.