A woman drowned in a flash flood in Arkansas on Saturday after calling 911 to say she was trapped in her car as water was rising around her.
Debbie Stevens, 47, called the emergency number when her car unexpectedly veered off the road and became overwhelmed by the flash flood. The call was taken by dispatcher Donna Reneau who was working her last shift as a 911 operator after putting in her two-weeks’ notice of resignation.
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As Stevens began to panic, Reneau’s responses were described by police as “callous and uncaring,” at one point chiding Stevens, telling her to “shut up.” The recorded call was released after Steven’s death on Saturday and confirms that Reneau was clearly frustrated with the woman in the moments before her death.
As Stevens’ car rapidly filled with water, she began begging Reneau for help noting she was terrified for her life. Reneau snapped back, “Am I not on the phone with you trying to get you some help?”
Unable to find an available emergency responder, Reneau told Stevens, “You’re going to have to hold on” while someone in the area was located. The dispatcher then chided Stevens for being in the flood as she panicked and begged for her life.
“This will teach you next time don’t drive in the water,” Reneau said. “I don’t see how you didn’t see it. You had to go right over it.”
Stevens apologized to Reneau for inadvertently being stuck in the water.
“I’m sorry ma’am, I didn’t see it,” she said. “I was in the parking lot. There was no water where I was. When I was getting out of the parking lot, I was looking for the main road to get out, and as I got out to the main road, it was too late. I couldn’t see it.”
Reneau then chastised Stevens for panicking. “You’re not going to die. I don’t know why you’re freaking out. It’s OK. I know the water level is high.” Stevens again apologized to Reneau.
Before her death, Stevens begged for assistance as the water reached past the windows of her vehicle. She also told Reneau that she was unable to swim and asked repeatedly when someone would be arriving to help her. Stevens even suggested that Reneau contact her friend to possibly come help.
“You’re going to make her drive out in all of this?” Reneau said of the suggestion.
As the water overcame Stevens in her car, Reneau can be heard on the recording saying, “Miss Debbie? Miss Debbie? … She’s under water now.”
Emergency responders found Stevens a short time later but she had died from drowning, unable to free herself from her vehicle. As Reneau was on her last shift, the police department was unable to pursue disciplinary action.
“Obviously, we can’t investigate someone who no longer works here,” said interim Police Chief Danny Baker. “However, [we’ve launched] an investigation into our responses, our policies, our dispatch center. I’ve been in communication with the fire chief, and we’re looking at how we can enhance our training for our dispatchers.”
Stevens was known in her community as a gracious friend who was active in a preschool ministry at her local church.
“She was somebody that as soon as a kid walked into the room, immediately was with her, was excited to be there, wasn’t looking back for mom and dad they were ready to be with miss Debbie,” said Executive Pastor of East Side Baptist Church Matthew Bonett.
