Posted on 03/10/2006 8:43:53 PM PST by Samwise
Several Martinsville High School students say teachers stopped their calls to 911 while a fellow student was choking, because cell phones aren't allowed on campus.
Witnesses tell police the victim was rushing to finish his lunch before leaving the cafeteria, because you can't bring food outside. That's when they say he started choking, went into cardiac arrest, and died at the hospital.
Multiple 911 calls went out from Martinsville High School.
Witnesses say Jesse Tucker choked on a hamburger. Paramedics rushed the 15 year-old freshman to the hospital, where he later died.
"It's really hard to grasp the fact that you witnessed someone's death," says one student, "It's really hard to take in."
24 Hour News 8 spoke to another student witness who also wants to remain anonymous. He says one of his friends tried to call 911 with his cell phone, but just as he reached an operator, he says a teacher closed his phone saying cell phones aren't allowed on campus.
"She just closed his phone. She didn't do much to help the situation. She was panicky, she didn't go to the nurse's office," says one of the students.
Martinsville Police Chief Frans Hollanders says the investigation is still in preliminary stages, and at this point, investigators aren't pointing fingers.
"We've heard rumors to such an effect, that a cell phone was slapped out of a kids hand," Hollanders says, "We haven't been able to determine that at all whatsoever."
School officicals wouldn't talk on camera, but we caught up with an assistant superintendent and he issued this statement, "We are still in shock. We do believe the teacher did everything she could in the situation."
The police chief is encouraging witnesses to share their stories with investigators.
24 Hour News 8 did speak to Jesse's father Friday night. Understandably, he says he's still in shock and just wants to know exactly what happened.
An autopsy is scheduled for Saturday morning.
Then she should have acknowledge her memory was in error instead of suggesting I was wrong.
Yes, that is something I noticed while flying between Austria and Germany...nice serrated steel cutlery! I suppose the good news in all this is that people are eventually growing to understand what represents a threat and what doesn't.
Cheers!
~ Blue Jays ~
I agree.
You know what...So do I, but that is not what was presented. SD claimed one thing in error. I called her on it and was right. I have know been accused of being a idiot because I think the chain is a weapon (I never made any such claim) or that I agree with the suspension (I never made any such claim).
Perhaps you all should read the thread to see what has acctually been said and by whom.
You're not kidding. Let's refrain from calling them bookbags and instead identify them as elementary holsters!
The swaggering thug who carries the implement of death shown above probably wouldn't call 9-1-1 for choking classmates, either. He or she would sit back and coolly draw circles while other youngsters aspirate partially-eaten hamburgers. When they outlaw compasses, only outlaws...
~ Blue Jays ~
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