Two sisters, Breann and Kayli Lasley, were attacked by an intruder in their Salt Lake City home. Breann managed to call 911 for help, but the dispatchers ignored their pleas despite multiple calls. The sisters screamed their address repeatedly during the calls, but no police officers were dispatched. Eventually, Kayli escaped and found a nearby police officer who came to Breann's rescue. The attacker was shot and killed by the officer. Both sisters suffered stab wounds and were taken to the hospital.
The incident has shattered their trust in the emergency response system, leading them to file a civil lawsuit against Priority Dispatch, the company responsible for the 911 software used by the call center. They claim that the software's scripted questions hindered dispatchers from taking immediate action based on intuition. However, Priority Dispatch argues that their system wasn't triggered because the dispatchers failed to determine the sisters' location, despite them repeatedly shouting their address.
In the 911 calls, the sisters can be heard giving their address as 850 South Roberta Street. Despite their frantic pleas and the calls from neighbors who also reported the incident, no help was sent. The failure is attributed to either the dispatchers themselves or the limitations of the software and protocol. It is argued that dispatchers should be able to handle chaotic situations and respond appropriately to real emergencies, rather than expecting victims to remain calm during life-threatening situations.
The incident highlights the need for improvements in the emergency response system to ensure that calls are properly handled and help is dispatched promptly.
