File: Braden, left, and Charlie Powell. The boys were killed along with their father, Josh Powell, on Sunday in what police said was an intentional fire set by Powell. (AP)
The 911 dispatcher who took the call from a social worker minutes before John Powell killed himself and his two sons in an explosion was reprimanded for his handling of the call, FOX13 reports.
Documents obtained by FOX13 reveal the dispatcher, who was not named publicly, received an official reprimand from the Assistant Director of LESA, Washington’s dispatch agency.
On February 5, Elizabeth Griffin-Hall, a a child protective services case worker handling the case of Charlie and Braden Powell, called 911 and said she had been locked out of the children's father, Josh Powell's home. She told the dispatcher she feared for the lives of the children.
The dispatcher told Griffin-Hall emergency workers "had to respond to emergency, life threatening situations first," according to FOX13.
“This could be life threatening!” Griffin-Hall said. “I’m afraid for their lives!”
The dispatcher told Griffin-Hall they would try to get a deputy over to the home. Minutes later, Powell blew up his home, killing himself and his children.
The reprimand says the dispatcher violated four LESA policies in his handling of the call, including “increasing the sense of safety and security through our community by gathering, processing and providing timely and accurate information.”
The reprimand says the dispatcher seems to have been confused about the call and that there was a delay in calling emergency crews.
“You have undergone local and national scrutiny, have admitted your errors and have identified the way you will correct and improve your call handling in the future,” it said, according to FOX13.
The reprimand also notes that the dispatcher has been the first to admit he should have handled the call better.
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