A federal negligence lawsuit by a couple, following the tragic drowning of their two young children, primarily focused on the handling of the 911 call by the county's emergency center on December 31, 2019.
The incident occurred when their minivan slid on icy University Drive, near Red Roof Inn, and submerged in a pond. The couple contended that the county's 911 dispatchers were inadequately trained.
The county's own report acknowledged errors by two dispatchers, who have since resigned. The dispatcher handling the call spent excessive time trying to determine the location instead of instructing the caller to take immediate actions, such as opening windows and freeing the children from their restraints. According to the 911 center's report, it took emergency responders 14 minutes from receiving the call to rescue the family from the water.
The report also highlighted another dispatcher's mistake in categorizing the incident as an "accident" instead of a "vehicle in water," leading to a delayed response from the dive team.
To settle the lawsuit, St. Joseph County will pay $5 million, with approximately $4 million allocated to the grieving family who lost their 4-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter. Their infant son, then three months old, survived the incident. An additional $1 million will be awarded to the family's attorney.
