Baby Dies After Dispatcher Sends Ambulance To Wrong Address

A Cleveland family is wondering whether a few precious minutes made a difference to an infant’s survival after the ambulance that was sent for him went to the wrong address.

The Fox 8 I-Team broke down what happened:

The boy’s father called 911 earlier this month to report a medical emergency. His son was not breathing.

He called the ambulance to Kempton Avenue.

The dispatcher sent the ambulance to Kinsman Road.

The dispatcher mistakenly sent the ambulance to an address about five miles away.

Ultimately, the dispatcher had to call a different ambulance to the scene, which delayed paramedics. First responders achieved a four-minute response time when sent to the wrong house. The response time to the right house doubled from the time the call was placed, according to the I-Team.

Days later, the baby died at the hospital.

In a statement, Cleveland City Hall confirmed its investigation and promised to correct “any deficiencies” found.

“It hits me hard because maybe it made a difference in the response for the baby,” the baby’s grandmother, Ernestine Bell, told the I-Team. “A minute is too long. A half a minute is too long. That’s the question. Why? Why so long? Why this miscommunication?”

Photo: Getty Images