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911 dispatcher scolds caller stranded in floodwaters just before she drowns

Debbie Stevens died after she drove into floodwaters in Arkansas in August. A former 911 dispatcher has come under fire after the 911 phone call revealed the dispatch gave her mockery and contempt just before Stevens drowned. (Provided Photo/CNN)

WARNING: Some viewers may find the above video and recording difficult to watch and listen to.

FT. SMITH, Ark. (CNN) – The 911 call made by an Arkansas woman who died last week when her car was swept away by flood waters reveals the dispatcher gave her mockery and contempt just before she drowned.

Debbie Stevens, 47, was out delivering newspapers when her car was swept away. She was on the phone with 911 for about 24 minutes telling the dispatcher that water was filling up her car.

In the 911 recording, Stevens and the dispatcher can be heard having the following conversation:

Stevens: “Please help me, I don’t want to die.”

Dispatch: “You’re not going to die, hold on for a minute.”

Stevens: “We I need um, I’m scared. I’m sorry.”

Dispatch: “I understand that you’re scared, but there’s nothing I can do sitting in a chair, so you’re going to have to hold on and I’m going to send you somebody, okay?”

Stevens can then be heard asking when help would be there, and the dispatcher replies, “as soon as they get there”.

The dispatcher can then be heard telling Stevens the incident would teach her a lesson.

Stevens: “I’m scared, I’ve never had anything like this happen to me before.”

Dispatch: “This will teach you next time, don’t drive in the water.”

Stevens: “Couldn’t see it ma’am. I’m sorry, or I wouldn’t have.”

Dispatch: “I don’t see how you didn’t see it, you had to go right over it, so…”

Police and firefighters arrived about 12 minutes after the initial call was made, but it took rescue crews more than an hour to reach Stevens because of how severe the flooding was. Stevens was already dead when they were finally able to get to her.

Ft. Smith Interim Police Chief Danny Baker said the dispatcher has turned in her two weeks notice and was working her last shift when Stevens called. He said he doesn’t know why the call was not given top priority.

“I don’t think the dispatcher realized or understood the severity of the situation,” Baker said.

He said right now, the department is investigating to see if police policies were followed and how they can be improved.

“I completely understand the disgust and concern we all have,” Baker said. “I understand that listening to a person going through the panic that Ms. Stephens was in those final moments of her life, we would all hope that we would get a little bit better response than perhaps she was given. I don’t want us interacting with anyone in that way, whether it’s a life and death situation or not.”

While Baker does think the dispatcher should not have spoken to Stevens the way she did, he said the dispatcher would not have been fired.

“She did nothing criminally wrong,” Baker said. “I’m not even going to go so far as saying she violated policy.”