Domestic violence is unfortunately common among many relationships with about 24 people experiencing it every minute in the United States.
On November 13, 2019, an Ohio 38-year-old woman called the Oregon, Ohio police department to make a distress call but disguised it as ordering pizza. For the police department dispatcher, Tim Teneyck, this call was very strange but he caught on very quickly. The call began,
Dispatcher: “Oregon 911”
Caller: “I would like to order a pizza at…
Dispatcher: “You called 911 to order a pizza?”
Caller: “Uh… yeah. Apartment…”
Dispatcher: “This is the wrong number to call for a pizza”
Caller: “No, no, no… you’re not understanding”
Dispatcher: “I’m getting you now.”
After dispatcher Tim Teneyck had caught on to what the call was being made for, he continued to help.
Dispatcher: “Is the other guy still there?”
Caller: “Yep. I need a large pizza.”
Dispatcher: “Alright. How about medical? You need medical?”
Caller: “No. With pepperoni.”
At this moment he had told the police to hurry and instructed them to ensure their sirens were off.
Dispatcher: “Turn your sirens off before you get there. Caller ordered a pizza and agreed with everything I said that there’s a domestic violence going on.”
The chief of police, Michael Navarre, had even admitted that in his 47 years of work, he had not heard of a caller ringing in to order a pizza as a disguised distress call and has further given Teneyck the recognition he deserves. The 38-year-old woman is the daughter of the 57-year-old victim who has remained anonymous. Because of this call, the abuser, Simon Lopez, was arrested for domestic violence among two other charges, public intoxication and pedestrian hazard on the highway. Stated by Chief Michael Navarre, it is always best to try and hide as best you can when calling with a distress call, and with this call made, it was all in the tone of her voice.
Part Two
On March 18, 2015 Michelle Wilkin made global headlines after answering an ad on Craigslist for free baby clothes. Michelle was expecting a baby girl in a few months and was quick to jump on the deal. When she arrived, a 35-year-old woman answered the door. Dynel Lane’s house sat quietly, isolated in the woods of Colorado.
Before Michelle could understand the gravity of her mistake, she was attacked and stabbed. Michelle watched helplessly as her baby was cut from her womb. Dynel had told people that she was pregnant and used Craigslist to fish for a victim to provide her proof: an unborn child. Holding on for her life, Michelle reaches for the phone and calls 911.
When purchasing anything online and going to pick it up in person always have that underlying fear of something going wrong. For Michelle Wilkin, her experience is one of the worst. March 18, 2015, Michelle Wilkin answered an online ad on Craigslist, a famous resale site, to obtain free baby clothes as she was expecting a baby girl in a few months. The seller was a 35-year-old woman, Dynel Lane, who was located in a quiet and isolated home in the woods of Colorado. As Michelle arrived at the home, she had no chance to think about what a mistake this was as she was attacked and stabbed. Dynel had cut Michelle’s baby from her womb which she had now had as proof of her fishing ad on Craigslist saying she was pregnant. Michelle had used as much strength as she could to be able to reach for the phone and call 911.
Dispatcher: “911 address of your emergency”
Caller: “1620…Place”
Dispatcher: “1620 what?”
Caller: “...Place?”
Dispatcher: “I can’t..I can’t understand the street.”
Caller: “Green Place.
Dispatcher: “Green Place. Green like the color?”
Caller: “Yeah.”
Just from the beginning, it is easy to hear that Michelle was attacked incredibly and that it was hard for her to explain where she was and what had happened. The dispatcher immediately made sure that Michelle would stay on the call as she was bleeding out. After the police had arrived, the 35-year-old Dynel Lane was arrested and sentenced to 100 years. Michelle Wilkin had survived the attack but unfortunately, her baby girl did not.
