The Heartbreaking Story Of Robert Turner, The Boy Whose Mother Died Because 911 Failed Him
On February 20, 2006, Robert Turner, then five years old, witnessed his mother pass away in their Detroit, Michigan, home. When the terrified boy dialed 911, the emergency operators Terri Sutton and Sharon Nichols threatened to call the police if Turner wouldn’t let them speak to his dying mother, who was unable to speak.
“Ok, well, you know what, then she’s gonna talk to the police ok?
Sutton reportedly said, citing CBS News. “I’m sending the police over there, and she’s going to talk to them. You shouldn’t be playing on the phone, it doesn’t matter to me. Before I send the police to knock on the door and you get into trouble, put her on the phone.
Sherrill Turner, 46, had already passed away from a heart attack when they eventually arrived in place of an ambulance, leaving Robert Turner with nothing to do but watch in horror. Her family filed a $1 million wrongful death lawsuit, and the incident even resulted in the first-ever conviction of a 911 operator for willful neglect of duty. There have also been calls to completely restructure the current emergency dispatch system.
Robert Turner’s Tragic 911 Calls
For the Turner family, the fateful day in question appeared to be a typical Monday when it began. When Robert Turner saw his mother pass out in her bedroom just before six o’clock, their tragic loss came suddenly. The young boy made a responsible 911 call.
“My mom has passed out,” said Robert Turner.
It was the first call at 5:59. operator for emergency services Sharon Nichols received. The 5-year-old boy misinterpreted the 43-year-question old’s about his father’s whereabouts. Interestingly, Nichols reprimanded Turner before terminating the call when she refused to speak to his father when asked if she could.
“OK, well, I’m going to send the police to your house and find out what’s going on with you,” said Nichols.
Neither emergency medical personnel nor police officers arrived at the scene.
The following three hours were spent by Robert Turner observing the decline of his unconscious mother. By the time Turner dialed 911 once more at 9:02 p.m., she had tragically already passed away from complications caused by an enlarged heart. Terri Sutton, the operator, not only reprimanded the boy but also sent an officer to the apartment at 1950 Spruce Street to punish him.
“It was taking too long,” said Turner about why he called 911 a second time. “And she said the same thing.”
Sherrill Turner was declared dead and her son was given into the custody of his relatives Delaina and Tyrone Patterson after police arrived at the scene at 9:40 p.m. Geoffrey Fieger, a family lawyer, filed a lawsuit against Terri Sutton, Sharon Nichols, and even the City of Detroit.
“Had somebody even followed up and sent a policeman like they did on the later call, really, to admonish Robert, rather than to help his mother, perhaps we wouldn’t be here,” said Fieger. “But no one came at all.”
“All that happened was that Robert was threatened and, really, intimidated from doing what his mother had taught him to do, which was to make an emergency call in an emergency situation.”
The Aftermath Of Sherrill Turner’s Death
When Geoffrey Fieger took on Robert Turner’s case, he had already made a name for himself as the lawyer who defended Jack Kevorkian, the notorious pathologist who was accused of helping terminally ill patients commit suicide. He claimed that Sherrill Turner’s death was the result of negligence.
If assistance had arrived within those crucial few minutes, “we firmly believe that his mom would have survived,” said Fieger. “We’ll also demonstrate that this is a common occurrence. Much more frequently than most people realize, this occurs. Additionally, no one would believe Robert if this tape didn’t exist.
“We teach our children in the face of an emergency to call for help and call 911. But when children call and ask for help they’re ignored, they’re dismissed, and they’re threatened.”
Terri Sutton and Sharon Nichols both went on trial in Detroit’s 36th District Court in early January 2008 on one count of willful neglect of duty. Sutton was essentially charged with flouting protocol by asking for a police dispatch as opposed to emergency services, but her charge was dropped on January 16.
Nichols initially contended that she couldn’t hear Robert Turner clearly over the phone. However, with the emergency dispatch conversations recorded as evidence, the prosecution had no trouble persuading the jury of five women and one man that she could, and on January 18, the jury returned a verdict of guilty.
On March 11, 2008, she was given a one-year probationary period, 100 hours of community service, and a $450 fine.
The verdict that Ms. Nichols’ defense was without merit was welcomed by Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Lora Weingarden. She argued that she was unable to hear the child. How could she know it was a joke call if that were the case? ”
Weingarden and Fieger expressed satisfaction with the verdict but urged 911 operators nationwide to take calls seriously and claimed inadequate training had probably already resulted in many wrongful deaths. But no matter what happens to the operators or how the system is changed, Robert Turner’s mother won’t ever be back, and nothing can take away the pain of that terrible night in 2006.
Reason Behind The Suicide Of Christine Chubbuck Live On Air
Actor Rebecca Hall had serious reservations about tackling the macabre story around why Chubbuck killed herself in 1974. So what changed her mind?
The Bizarre Courtroom Act of Serial Killer Rodney Alcala: When a Killer Played Lawyer
Serial killer Rodney Alcala acted as his own attorney in his trial. For five hours he interrogated himself on the witness stand, asking questions addressed to "Mr. Alcala" in a deep voice and answering them in his normal voice.
The 1978 Lufthansa Heist: Unraveling the Mystery of America's Most Infamous Airport Robbery
During the 1978 Lufthansa heist, robbers infiltrated JFK Airport, restraining employees and holding a night guard hostage. They escaped with $5.9 million—worth over $27 million today. The crime, linked to the Lucchese crime family, remained unsolved for decades, with most suspects vanishing
Man dressed up as his dead mother to keep home, benefits
A 51-year-old man in Brooklyn named Thomas Parkin dressed up as his dead mother Irene for six long years since 2013 and collected her social security checks. He did other real estate frauds too that totaled up to $115,000.
The Horrific story of Ariel Castro and the Cleveland abduction
Cleveland abduction victims Gina DeJesus, Michelle Knight, and Amanda Berry were forced to live in Ariel Castro's house of horrors for 10 years. He raped and beat them until they escaped in 2013.
'Super obedient' lookout parrot trained by Brazilian drug dealers is seized by police
In 2019, police in Brazil seized a 'super obedient' lookout parrot trained by drug dealers. According to reports, the bird had been taught to alert criminals to police operations by shouting: "Mum, the police!" As soon as the police got close, he started shouting.
Quaker Oats Fed Children with Radioactive Oatmeal
In the 1940s and 1950s, Quaker Oats and MIT conducted experiments on radioactive iron and calcium-containing cereal. The diet was part of a study to see if the nutrients in Quaker oatmeal traveled throughout the body. In January 1998, a $1.85 million settlement was reached for 30 victims who came forward.
During the 1996 Olympic bombing, Richard Jewell falsely accused of committing the crime after saving dozens of people
Richard Jewell, an American security guard, discovered a bomb during the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and assisted in the evacuation, but was later wrongfully accused and faced public scrutiny. He was cleared, but it had a lasting impact on him until his death in 2007 at the age of 44.
A woman accidentally tipped $7,723 for coffee and some cake and never get the money back
In 2018, a woman accidentally paid $7732 for a cup of coffee and a cake at a Swiss café after accidentally entering her PIN code as a tip. She never received a refund.
Blanche Monnier: Imprisoned For 25 Years For Falling in Love
Blanche Monnier, she was a French woman noted for her beauty, she wished to marry an old lawyer that her mother disapproved of, so she locked her in a small dark room in her attic for 25 years.
The truth behind the murder of Cara Knott
After the murder of Cara Knott in 1986, a local news station filmed a ride-along segment with a highway patrol officer named Craig Allen Peyer who talked about women’s safety and gave tips on what to do when stranded on the road. That same officer later turned out to be the “Knotts killer.” He was convicted of the crime in 1988.
The Unsolved mystery of Bobby Dunbar's Disappearance
In 1912, a four-year-old boy named Bobby Dunbar went missing on a family trip, 8 months later he was found and reunited with his family. Nearly a century later, DNA testing of his descendants revealed that the child reunited with the Dunbar family was not Bobby, but rather a boy named Charles (Bruce) Anderson who resembled Bobby.
Japanese man accidentally switched at birth grew up in poverty while other baby lived life on privilege
In 2013, a 60-year-old Japanese man found out that he had been accidentally switched at birth. His biological parents were wealthy, but he was given to a struggling, single mother. While the infant who took his place grew up with all the luxuries and became the president of a real estate company, he grew up poor and became a truck driver. He later sued the San Ikukai Hospital in Tokyo that made this awful mistake in 1953.
Recipient of suicide victim's heart kills himself 12 years later
In 1995, Sonny Graham received a transplanted heart from a suicide victim. He then committed suicide in the very same manner as the donor.
Albert Einstein’s brain after it was stolen from his body
Albert Einstein's brain was taken by the opportunistic pathologist who performed his autopsy hours after he died and kept in two jars for 30 years. The stolen brain of Albert Einstein was preserved in a cookie jar for 30 years until being discovered by a journalist.
Michael Crowe Found 'Factually Innocent' In Sister's Murder
In 1998, 14-year-old Michael Crowe was charged with the murder of his sister. The police started targeting him after he seemed “distant and preoccupied” when his sister’s body was discovered, and during interrogation, police coercion led him to make a false confession. He was later declared factually innocent and the family won a lawsuit of $7.25 million in 2011.
Woman found guilty of murdering her husband after a parrot repeated the victim's 'last words'
In 2017, a woman named Glenna Duram shot her husband five times before attempting suicide. Soon after, the couple’s pet African Grey parrot, the only witness to the crime, started repeating the words “don’t f*****g shoot!” It is thought to have been the pair’s last exchange. Duram survived and was found guilty of first-degree murder.
Andre Stander: The Police Officer Who Became a Bank Robber
Like scenes from a blockbuster movie, Andre Stander robbed Banks during his lunch breaks and returned to the scene as the lead investigating officer
The Great Greek Swimming Pool Scandal: When Satellites Exposed a Tax Evasion Wave
Only 324 residents of a wealthy neighborhood in Athens admitted to owning swimming pools on their tax returns. To verify the truth, Greek tax authorities studied satellite photos of the area and found a total of 16,974 pools. The majority of people had simply lied about their assets to save on taxes.
Brazilian gang leader attempts to escape from Rio de Janeiro prison by dressing up as his daughter
In 2019, a Brazilian gang leader tried to escape from prison by dressing up as his daughter when she visited him behind bars and walking out of the penitentiary's main door in her place.
How a Pizza Delivery Saved a Hostage in 2015
A pizza delivery once helped end a hostage situation! In 2015, a pizza order placed by a woman being held hostage included a hidden message for help. The pizzeria staff alerted the police, leading to her rescue..!
Man who robbed bank to get away from wife sentenced to home confinement
In 2017, a 70-year-old man robbed a Kansas City bank, then sat down in the lobby waiting for the Police to arrive stating he’d rather live in jail than with his wife. He was arrested but rather than thrown in a cell he was sentenced to 6 months of home confinement.
Albert Spaggiari: The Man Who Stole 45m Francs And Was Never Caught
In 1976, French gangster Albert Spaggiari was arrested after his gang stole 100 million francs worth of valuables from a bank. At his trial, he distracted the judge then jumped out of a window and fled on a motorcycle set up for him. He was never caught and died a free man.
A woman finds her ex-boyfriend living in her attic 12 years after they broke up
Most people have heard of "things that go bump in the night," but for one South Carolina lady, that "thing" was her ex-boyfriend, whom she discovered living in her attic more than 12 years after they broke up.
The youngest person executed, George Stinney Jr was proven innocent
In 1944, George Stinney Jr. was 14 years old when he was executed in South Carolina. It took only ten minutes to convict him — and 70 years to exonerate him.
