It’s audio of a call made in January 2005 by Lorraine Hayes, who claimed her husband had just shot her.

“I’m shot in the head,” Hayes said in her first phone call to 911 at 9:28 p.m. “My body’s numb.”

But the operator did not seem to believe her. At one point she asked Hayes if she was a mental patient, according to the tape.

“If you got shot in the temple, you probably wouldn’t be able to make this call,” the operator said.

“I’m dying,” Hayes responded.

The operator then asked, “Would you put somebody else on the phone?”

Hayes could not convince her husband to get on the phone.

She called again about 25 minutes later after no help arrived.

“Ma’am, I’m shot in the — I’m shot twice,” Hayes said.

“OK, you said — first time you said you were shot in the temple. Where’s the other bullet?” the operator asked.

“In my chest, I think,” Hayes said.

“But you’re able to call on the phone? That’s a miracle!” the operator said.

“Ma’am, would you please come. I’m dying,” Hayes said again.

According to the tape, the operator told Hayes police and medical help were on the way. But Fieger said they never arrived.

“The only way police and EMS ever came was — Lorraine called her son in Minnesota, who then called the Detroit Police, who then responded after 10-o-clock,” Fieger said Monday.

The calls

*

First call, 5:59 p.m. Feb. 20:

Dispatcher: “”Emergency 911, what’s the problem?”

Robert: “My mom has passed out. …”

Dispatcher: “Where’s Mr. Turner at?…”

Robert: “Right here.”

Dispatcher: “Let me talk to him.”

Robert: “”She’s not gonna … she’s not gonna talk.”

Dispatcher: “OK, well I’m going to send the police to your house and find out what’s going on with you. …”

Second call, 9:02 p.m.:

Robert: “My mom has passed out. …”

Dispatcher: “Where’s the grown-ups at?”

Robert: (Inaudible)

Dispatcher: “Let me speak to her before I send the police over there.”

Robert: “She’s not gonna talk. …”

Dispatcher: “Now put her on the phone before I send the police out there to knock on the door and you going to be in trouble.”

Robert: “Ugh.” (Hangs up.)

Additionally, the 911 service in Detroit needs to consider monitoring their operators, especially during a 2nd call back, to determine if the call is being handled properly and expedited immediately. It should be standard operating procedure that a child’s call for help be responded to immediately and, even if an initial call from someone (child or adult) seemed bogus, a 2nd call requires an immediate response as well.

I’m dismayed that I’m just learning of this tragedy, that a public apology has not been offered to the family, and that the family is not suing for more that $1 million; it should be $100 million! That poor child needs to be nurtured, fed, clothed and educated. By the time he reaches college age, it’ll cost almost $100,000 per year for an ivy league education. Pay him and his family what they are owed. No amount of money will replace his mother, but it will surely get him the emotional help he and his family may need and allow for the boy’s needs to be met indefinitely.

My thought and prayers are with the family, and even with the 911 operator who needs to repent and ask forgiveness for her misjudgement that ultimately led to someone’s death and rendered a little boy motherless.

I’ve no doubt she just wanted to go back to reading her National Enquirer or something and didn’t want to bother having to do her job.