CINCINNATI (WLWT) – Results are expected to be released Monday in the investigation into the emergency system response in the death of Kyle Plush.
The 16-year-old Cincinnati high school student was killed in a freak accident after he was crushed by a bench seat inside of his van.
His body was found by his father, nearly six hours after the teen called 911.
Police confirmed that Plush called 911 twice.
The first time prompted a police response. The second resulted in a lack of communication, police said.
In the 911 call, Plush is heard saying, "I probably don’t have much time left, so tell my mom that I love her if I die."
Tragically, it appears Plush could not hold his cellphone with his hands and was using voice commands to dial 911.
That meant the police dispatcher who took the call could hear Plush, but could not get him to pinpoint his location.
Cincinnati police responded to the school’s campus along with a Hamilton County sheriff’s detail.
They canvassed parking lots of the school, police said, but did not find anything.
The deputy called dispatchers to see if there was more information about where the victim could be found.
The 911 dispatcher told the deputy that the victim "could possibly be in the thrift store parking lot across the street."
“I was in there, I just looked in a van. I didn’t see anybody in it. There was only one van by the thrift store," the deputy said.
Police said they believe the deputy looked into a van close to the thrift store, but didn’t check the lot that extends beyond that, where the victim’s van was parked.
Nearly 20 minutes later, police said Plush called 911 again. This time, he told dispatchers he was in a 2004 gold Honda Odyssey van.
The second call prompted no response from the dispatcher, police said. That dispatcher has been placed on administrative leave, pending the outcome of the investigation.
"Police officers, firefighters and even our emergency dispatch personnel, you get into this because you want to help and something went wrong here," said Cincinnati Police Chief Elliot Issac.
Around 8 p.m. Tuesday, a classmate of Plush’s called the teen’s family, informing them that Plush missed his after-school tennis match.
The family pinged Plush’s phone, which took them to the parking lot across from the school. Plush’s father found his 16-year-old son unresponsive in the vehicle.
Plush’s death has been ruled accidental.
An autopsy revealed he died of asphyxia due to chest compression, according to a coroner’s report.
Officials said he was trapped and crushed in a third-row bench seat of the van.
An effort to fix Cincinnati’s 911 system led City Council members to tour the operation last week.
Council members vowed to do what it takes to make sure the system is upgraded as soon as possible.
“They’ve given me the tools, resources, the money and they’ve promised me the backing that we need,” said Capt. Jim Gramke, who is in charge of the 911 center.
The findings of an investigation are expected to be released Monday.
