Kidnapped Amanda Berry's call to 911 operator – video

'I'm here. I'm free now,' says Cleveland kidnap victim but emergency dispatcher is slow to react

amanda-berry-2.jpg

POLICE have released a recording of the frantic 911 call made by Amanda Berry when she escaped after 10 years' captivity in Cleveland, Ohio yesterday. Berry, now 27, Gina DeJesus, 23, and Michelle Knight, 30, were rescued after disappearing separately around a decade ago. Berry made the call after a neighbour in Seymour Avenue heard her cries and kicked in the front door of the house owned by Ariel Castro. Using the neighbour's phone, Berry can be heard telling the operator: "I've been kidnapped and I've been missing for 10 years and I'm here. I'm free now." She tells the dispatcher that Castro is "out of the house" and repeats "I'm Amanda Berry", apparently well aware that her long disappearance had been reported by local media. The 911 operator has come under fire for the lack of urgency in his handling of the call. He is heard saying: "We will get someone there as soon as we get a car open." Berry replies: "No, I need them now before he gets back."

Joecephus tweeted: "The more I listen, the more upset I get with the ineptness of the dispatcher."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us