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.
Talking to my husband, a few conclusions;
1. The teacher is in big trouble.
2. Waiting for lawsuit - against the teacher and the schools. Can the teacher be brought on any criminal negligence charges?
3. Does the school have JROTC? Any cadet could have performed the Heimlich maneuver.
So unneccessary. Prayers for the family...
That is very interesting! And it makes perfect sense.
That is so sad, too. I'm so sorry.
For choking cases, you have 3-5 minutes to save the person. 911 calls are too late anyway, unless the EMTs are located right across the street. The real question is how on earth no one among the teachers and students knew how to do the Heimlich.... heck, plenty of people have saved a life without any training, just by trying to imitate what they'd seen in the movies. How on earth did everyone just twiddle their thumbs until the kid was dead?
Yup, it's the "Rule of 3" that applies here in terms of survival:
~ Blue Jays ~
Wanna bet that government run facilities are exempt from the rule?
Teachers are suppose to be trained in basic CPR-D
Let's get beyond emotionalism and seek the truth of the matter.
The teacher failed in his/her mission to stop all cell phone use?
Not if they have tenure.
prayers
Oh yes, a cabal of evil, totalitarian teachers in the midst of a student choking to death, collectively stopped the united efforts of all those other students to call for help. Sniff, sniff. Smell test in progress.
"Teachers are suppose to be trained in basic CPR-D"
Moreso, teachers should have basic CS (common sense).
But beyond that, somethings serously wrong here, I smell something stinky. NOBODY is that stupid that they will prevent a call for help from going out while actually LOOKING at a distressed individual. There's more to this story than what's in the article, I'm sure of it.
...choked on the left wing rhetoric?
if that's how you would prefer the situation be handled if your child was choking, no problem. but if it were my child i'd want the kid to backhand the teacher and go back to the conversation.
The story does get a little confused.
Several Martinsville High School students say teachers stopped their calls to 911 while a fellow student was choking..
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...
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."
Let's remember that this report is from WISH Channel 8 TV and TV reporters on the scene are usually running around trying to hear anything they can. The early reports are always somewhat chaotic.
Unfortunately it's easy for us adults to realize we need to be assertive when we're in that kind of situation. (Actually, I'm sure the poor kid is doing just what you said he should have done, over & over - in his mind.)
Also aginst the desire of a student to live.
If the teachers are lucky, they will only be sued and not charged with negligent homicine.
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