Shocking audio of the 911 call was released by the Arkansas Police department. A woman’s car was swept away by a flash flood when she was delivering newspapers early on a Saturday morning. Stevens first called a family member, but when she realised she was trapped inside her SUV, she called 911.
Throughout the call, the woman is heard repeatedly asking for help and saying she thinks she is going to die. The 911 operator is criticised for telling Stevens ‘You’re not gonna die, I don’t know why you’re freaking out’. The operator also scolds the victim for not knowing the area better: ‘This will teach you next time don’t drive in the water’.
She also makes fun of Stevens for worrying that her car is going to catch fire, saying “How? You’re under water.”
When rescue boats reached Stevens’ car an hour after the 911 call ended, they were unable to revive her.
A spokesperson for the police department reportedly told BuzzFeed News that the dispatcher in question was Donna Reneau. Ironically, Reneau had been named “fire dispatcher of the year” in 2019.
The full audio can be found here:
