The 911 dispatcher, who spoke to Amanda Berry after she escaped from the Cleveland house of horrors, is being investigated over claims he swore at the end of her emergency call.
The operator has previously been criticized for failing to keep Amanda Berry on the line or comfort her during her desperate call for help.
But now new allegations have been made that the dispatcher calls Amanda Berry a “f****** b****” just before hanging up.
It was Amanda Berry’s 911 call that led to the discovery of fellow kidnap victims Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight after she bravely escaped the house on Seymour Avenue.
The three women had been held captive at the house for about a decade where they were repeatedly raped and tortured.
Suspect Ariel Castro, 52, remains on suicide watch in custody as he faces preliminary charges of rape and kidnapping.
Amanda Berry finally broke free with the help of a neighbor and raised the alarm.
The 911 dispatcher – one of the first people Amanda Berry spoke to after her decade long captivity – has come under fire for the way he handled the conversation with the clearly distressed 26-year-old.
Experts in the U.S. say a muffled sound at the end of the call is the dispatcher cursing at Amanda Berry.
Audio forensic experts hired by Cleveland station 19 Action News believe swear words were used.
The dispatcher is now being investigated by Cleveland City Hall, according to reports.
Cleveland station WOIO has reported that the results from an investigation by a police forensic audio team were inconclusive.
One of the 19 Action News experts says the “second word is b****”, while the second believes the dispatcher said “f****** b****”.
During the two-minute conversation, Amanda Berry, is heard screaming down the phone: “I’ve been kidnapped and I’ve been missing for 10 years, and I’m, I’m here, I’m free now.”
But multiple times the dispatcher’s response was: “Talk to the police when they get there,” before asking the name of Amanda Berry’s captor, as well as his age and ethnicity.
In the 911 call Amanda Berry implores the dispatcher that she needs the police immediately, but she is told authorities will be sent as soon as a “car becomes open”.
At one point when she says: “I’m Amanda Berry. I’ve been on the news for the last 10 years,” the dispatcher replies: “I got that, dear.”
As Amanda Berry becomes more frantic the dispatcher says: “The police are on their way; talk to them when they get there.”
The dispatcher, whose identity has not been revealed, repeats again: “I told you they’re on their way; talk to them when they get there, OK.”
Last month, Cleveland Department of Public Safety Director Martin Flask said police were dispatched and on scene in the west side neighborhood in less than two minutes.
“While the call-taker complied with policies and procedures which enabled a very fast response by police, we have noted some concerns which will be the focus of our review, including the call-taker’s failure to remain on the line with Ms. Berry until police arrived on scene.
“Please be assured that this matter will be investigated, and if necessary, appropriate corrective action taken.”
Michelle Knight disappeared in 2002 when she was 21, Amanda Berry was 16 when she vanished in 2003 and Gina DeJesus went missing about a year later when she was 14.
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Amanda Berry’s 911 call – Full transcript:
Caller: Help me. I’m Amanda Berry.
Dispatcher: You need police, fire, ambulance?
Caller: I need police.
Dispatcher: OK, and what’s going on there?
Caller: I’ve been kidnapped and I’ve been missing for 10 years, and I’m, I’m here, I’m free now.
Dispatcher: OK, and what’s your address?
Caller: 2207 Seymour Avenue
Dispatcher: 2207 Seymour. Looks like you’re calling me from 2210.
Caller: Huh?
Dispatcher: Looks like you’re calling me from 2210.
Caller: I can’t hear you.
Dispatcher: Looks like you’re calling me from 2210 Seymour.
Caller: I’m across the street; I’m using the phone.
Dispatcher: OK, stay there with those neighbors. Talk to police when they get there.
Caller: (Crying)
Dispatcher: Ok, talk to police when they get there.
Caller: OK. Hello?
Dispatcher: OK, talk to the police when they get there.
Caller: OK (unintelligible).
Dispatcher: We’re going to send them as soon as we get a car open.
Caller: No, I need them now before he gets back.
Dispatcher: All right; we’re sending them, OK?
Caller: OK, I mean, like …
Dispatcher: Who’s the guy you’re trying — who’s the guy who went out?
Caller: Um, his name is Ariel Castro.
Dispatcher: OK. How old is he?
Caller: He’s like 52.
Dispatcher: And, uh –
Caller: I’m Amanda Berry. I’ve been on the news for the last 10 years.
Dispatcher: I got, I got that, dear. (Unintelligible) And, you say, what was his name again?
Caller: Uh, Ariel Castro.
Dispatcher: And is he white, black or Hispanic?
Caller: Uh, Hispanic.
Dispatcher: What’s he wearing?
Caller (agitated): I don’t know, ’cause he’s not here right now. That’s why I ran away.
Dispatcher: When he left, what was he wearing?
Caller: Who knows (unintelligible).
Dispatcher: The police are on their way; talk to them when they get there.
Caller: Huh? I – OK.
Dispatcher: I told you they’re on their way; talk to them when they get there, OK.
Caller: All right, OK. Bye.
