Cops detain pregnant woman in distress - she miscarries.
01 February 2007, 07:05 PM
#1
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,093
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Cops detain pregnant woman in distress - she miscarries.
Man I hope she wins her lawsuit. The video is unreal - how they mock her.
Kansas City Star | 01/31/2007 | Police ignored woman’s pleas
Police ignored woman’s pleas
Tape shows two officers dismissed repeated calls for help. Department plans an investigation.
By CHRISTINE VENDEL
The Kansas City Star
Two Kansas City police officers repeatedly ignored a pregnant woman’s claims that she was bleeding and needed medical help, a police videotape released Tuesday shows.
Sofia Salva told officers nine times during the first five minutes of the stop that she was bleeding or wanted to go to a hospital. After the ninth request, a female officer asked: “How is that my problem?”
Salva requested help at least 12 more times during the 30-minute encounter nearly a year ago. The officers arrested her for traffic violations, including a fake temporary license tag, and outstanding city warrants.
The next morning, after being released, she delivered a premature baby boy who lived one minute, according to a lawsuit Salva filed Friday.
“The officers went into this with a preconceived idea of who and what they were dealing with, and they were wrong,” said Salva’s attorney, Andrew Protzman. “It’s tragic.”
Police have opened an internal investigation.
“We want to understand exactly what happened,” department spokesman Capt. Rich Lockhart said. “It’s a matter of trust.… We want to make sure the community trusts us to get to the bottom of this regardless of the way it reflects on the Police Department.”
The Jackson County lawsuit names the officers and the department for wrongful death, personal injuries and failure to provide medical assistance. The suit seeks actual damages exceeding $25,000 and punitive damages to punish and deter such conduct in the future.
Officer Melody Spencer, a four-year veteran, could not be reached for comment. The other officer, Kevin Schnell, declined to comment. He has worked for the department less than two years.
Police released a copy of the officers’ patrol car videotape after The Star requested it under the Missouri Sunshine Law.
The officers pulled over Salva near Ninth Street and Brooklyn Avenue on Feb. 5 after they saw her affixing a fake temporary tag on the back windshield. Salva stopped her car for the officers at 10:45 p.m. She opened her door because her window would not roll down.
“Shut your door!” Spencer yelled. The officers radioed in the car description and approached the car.
“Do you know why I stopped you?” Schnell asked.
“Because I have one light?” said Salva, a Sudanese native.
“No … It’s because you’ve got a fake temporary tag in your back window. That temporary tag was not there 10 minutes ago. I watched you put it in. Where did you get it?”
“It was in the car,” Salva said.
“Why wasn’t it in the window?” Schnell asked.
Salva said she didn’t have any tape. Then she added: “I’m having a miscarriage.”
“OK,” Schnell said. “So you don’t have any tape. So you got the tape and put this fake — fake, not real — Missouri temporary tag in your window?”
“I have a problem. I’m bleeding,” Salva said. “I took the car and I want to go to the hospital.”
“OK,” Schnell said. “Do you have a driver’s license? You don’t have ID or anything? Stay there. Don’t move.”
“Do you want to check me?” Salva asked. “I’m bleeding. I have a 3-month baby inside.”
“OK,” Schnell said. “Do you have a driver’s license?”
Schnell then walked away from the car and told his partner: “She just gave me a line of excuses. She said she’s bleeding. She said you can check her.”
The officers exchanged a few more sentences. Then Schnell told Spencer: “She says she’s three months pregnant.”
Salva said: “I’m three months pregnant and I’m bleeding.”
Spencer replied: “OK. Why are you driving to the store and then putting a fake temporary tag in your car?”
“I took it because I want to go to the hospital,” Salva said.
“Come back here,” Spencer said. “Put your hands on the car. Spread your feet.”
“I’m bleeding,” Salva said as Spencer frisked her. “You can check my underwear.”
Spencer declined.
The officers made Salva sit on the curb as they searched her car, purse and grocery sacks.
Salva again told Spencer to “look down” to see the blood.
“It’s called a menstrual cycle,” Spencer said.
Salva again asked to go to the hospital.
“Well,” Spencer said, “that will be something you can take care of when we get done with you.”
Several more minutes passed before Schnell asked Spencer if she had gotten Salva’s name.
“No. I was just hoping to get an ID,” she said referring to the search of the car.
Spencer asked Salva for her name, became frustrated and accused her of being unable to spell her first name.
After a drawn-out process to get Salva’s identifying information, Salva is clearly upset.
“I have a baby in my stomach and I’m bleeding and I open my underwear for you to see.”
“Stay seated!” Schnell yelled.
“If I die here, will you take care of me?” Salva said. “If I die here?”
“Fair enough,” Schnell said.
Eventually, the officers call in Salva’s information to a dispatcher and learn she has outstanding city warrants for mistreatment of children, trespassing and several traffic violations, including driving while suspended. The bonds added up to $4,600.
“That explains a few things,” Schnell said. “Hands behind your back.”
After handcuffing Salva, Schnell remarked on her height.
“You’re pretty tall,” he said.
“I’m bleeding. I swear to my God,” she said.
“I don’t doubt that you’re possibly bleeding, but you got a lot more problems with us,” Schnell said.
When the arrest van arrived to take Salva to jail at 11:11 p.m., she again said to Schnell: “I’m bleeding.”
“When we take you to the station, we’ll be able to report all that.”
As the officers waited to load her in the arrest van, Schnell asked Salva why she didn’t buy a real license tag.
“I don’t know,” she said. “I’m sorry. I don’t know.”
But then Salva said she didn’t get one because she couldn’t with a suspended driver’s license. Schnell asked why she didn’t say that earlier, and Salva said she was scared.
Salva didn’t appear to mention her medical situation to the arrest van’s driver.
Booked in the police headquarters jail at 11:30 p.m., Salva said she continued to ask for help but was ignored. The next morning about 9 a.m., jailers let her go to a hospital after she passed a large blood clot. Salva delivered a premature baby boy, who lived for one minute, according to a lawsuit Salva filed Friday.
No tapes were available of Salva’s time in the Police Department jail. The department’s legal adviser said the tapes had been recycled in the ordinary course of business before they were aware of Salva’s claims.
C/N: Woman is pulled over for fake temp tags on her way to the hospital. She is four months pregnant and bleeding. Cops detain her for 12 hours - she miscarries. *******s.
Kansas City Star | 01/31/2007 | Police ignored woman’s pleas
Police ignored woman’s pleas
Tape shows two officers dismissed repeated calls for help. Department plans an investigation.
By CHRISTINE VENDEL
The Kansas City Star
Two Kansas City police officers repeatedly ignored a pregnant woman’s claims that she was bleeding and needed medical help, a police videotape released Tuesday shows.
Sofia Salva told officers nine times during the first five minutes of the stop that she was bleeding or wanted to go to a hospital. After the ninth request, a female officer asked: “How is that my problem?”
Salva requested help at least 12 more times during the 30-minute encounter nearly a year ago. The officers arrested her for traffic violations, including a fake temporary license tag, and outstanding city warrants.
The next morning, after being released, she delivered a premature baby boy who lived one minute, according to a lawsuit Salva filed Friday.
“The officers went into this with a preconceived idea of who and what they were dealing with, and they were wrong,” said Salva’s attorney, Andrew Protzman. “It’s tragic.”
Police have opened an internal investigation.
“We want to understand exactly what happened,” department spokesman Capt. Rich Lockhart said. “It’s a matter of trust.… We want to make sure the community trusts us to get to the bottom of this regardless of the way it reflects on the Police Department.”
The Jackson County lawsuit names the officers and the department for wrongful death, personal injuries and failure to provide medical assistance. The suit seeks actual damages exceeding $25,000 and punitive damages to punish and deter such conduct in the future.
Officer Melody Spencer, a four-year veteran, could not be reached for comment. The other officer, Kevin Schnell, declined to comment. He has worked for the department less than two years.
Police released a copy of the officers’ patrol car videotape after The Star requested it under the Missouri Sunshine Law.
The officers pulled over Salva near Ninth Street and Brooklyn Avenue on Feb. 5 after they saw her affixing a fake temporary tag on the back windshield. Salva stopped her car for the officers at 10:45 p.m. She opened her door because her window would not roll down.
“Shut your door!” Spencer yelled. The officers radioed in the car description and approached the car.
“Do you know why I stopped you?” Schnell asked.
“Because I have one light?” said Salva, a Sudanese native.
“No … It’s because you’ve got a fake temporary tag in your back window. That temporary tag was not there 10 minutes ago. I watched you put it in. Where did you get it?”
“It was in the car,” Salva said.
“Why wasn’t it in the window?” Schnell asked.
Salva said she didn’t have any tape. Then she added: “I’m having a miscarriage.”
“OK,” Schnell said. “So you don’t have any tape. So you got the tape and put this fake — fake, not real — Missouri temporary tag in your window?”
“I have a problem. I’m bleeding,” Salva said. “I took the car and I want to go to the hospital.”
“OK,” Schnell said. “Do you have a driver’s license? You don’t have ID or anything? Stay there. Don’t move.”
“Do you want to check me?” Salva asked. “I’m bleeding. I have a 3-month baby inside.”
“OK,” Schnell said. “Do you have a driver’s license?”
Schnell then walked away from the car and told his partner: “She just gave me a line of excuses. She said she’s bleeding. She said you can check her.”
The officers exchanged a few more sentences. Then Schnell told Spencer: “She says she’s three months pregnant.”
Salva said: “I’m three months pregnant and I’m bleeding.”
Spencer replied: “OK. Why are you driving to the store and then putting a fake temporary tag in your car?”
“I took it because I want to go to the hospital,” Salva said.
“Come back here,” Spencer said. “Put your hands on the car. Spread your feet.”
“I’m bleeding,” Salva said as Spencer frisked her. “You can check my underwear.”
Spencer declined.
The officers made Salva sit on the curb as they searched her car, purse and grocery sacks.
Salva again told Spencer to “look down” to see the blood.
“It’s called a menstrual cycle,” Spencer said.
Salva again asked to go to the hospital.
“Well,” Spencer said, “that will be something you can take care of when we get done with you.”
Several more minutes passed before Schnell asked Spencer if she had gotten Salva’s name.
“No. I was just hoping to get an ID,” she said referring to the search of the car.
Spencer asked Salva for her name, became frustrated and accused her of being unable to spell her first name.
After a drawn-out process to get Salva’s identifying information, Salva is clearly upset.
“I have a baby in my stomach and I’m bleeding and I open my underwear for you to see.”
“Stay seated!” Schnell yelled.
“If I die here, will you take care of me?” Salva said. “If I die here?”
“Fair enough,” Schnell said.
Eventually, the officers call in Salva’s information to a dispatcher and learn she has outstanding city warrants for mistreatment of children, trespassing and several traffic violations, including driving while suspended. The bonds added up to $4,600.
“That explains a few things,” Schnell said. “Hands behind your back.”
After handcuffing Salva, Schnell remarked on her height.
“You’re pretty tall,” he said.
“I’m bleeding. I swear to my God,” she said.
“I don’t doubt that you’re possibly bleeding, but you got a lot more problems with us,” Schnell said.
When the arrest van arrived to take Salva to jail at 11:11 p.m., she again said to Schnell: “I’m bleeding.”
“When we take you to the station, we’ll be able to report all that.”
As the officers waited to load her in the arrest van, Schnell asked Salva why she didn’t buy a real license tag.
“I don’t know,” she said. “I’m sorry. I don’t know.”
But then Salva said she didn’t get one because she couldn’t with a suspended driver’s license. Schnell asked why she didn’t say that earlier, and Salva said she was scared.
Salva didn’t appear to mention her medical situation to the arrest van’s driver.
Booked in the police headquarters jail at 11:30 p.m., Salva said she continued to ask for help but was ignored. The next morning about 9 a.m., jailers let her go to a hospital after she passed a large blood clot. Salva delivered a premature baby boy, who lived for one minute, according to a lawsuit Salva filed Friday.
No tapes were available of Salva’s time in the Police Department jail. The department’s legal adviser said the tapes had been recycled in the ordinary course of business before they were aware of Salva’s claims.
C/N: Woman is pulled over for fake temp tags on her way to the hospital. She is four months pregnant and bleeding. Cops detain her for 12 hours - she miscarries. *******s.
01 February 2007, 08:00 PM
#5
She was miscarrying anyway so there is no question at all of saving the baby.
It's a hard one. We know that some police are dealing with complete losers 90% of their time - aggressive, full of excuses etc. It's almost like a boy who cried wolf story.
Should have been given an exam at the police station though.
It's a hard one. We know that some police are dealing with complete losers 90% of their time - aggressive, full of excuses etc. It's almost like a boy who cried wolf story.
Should have been given an exam at the police station though.
01 February 2007, 08:07 PM
#6
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,093
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
my wife was bleeding at 4 months, we went to the hospital and they fixed it, she is fine now, and my son is due in april..... just saying
what if it was your sister/wife/GF?
what if it was your sister/wife/GF?
01 February 2007, 08:14 PM
#7
I witnessed a few alterations between black women and police in Brussels and they can be extremely belligerent and aggressive.
But also if she had a miscarriage the very definition of the word means the baby has been lost, you can't save it.
Last edited by KiwiGTI; 01 February 2007 at 08:17 PM.
Trending Topics
01 February 2007, 08:26 PM
#8
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (10)
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Clacton
Posts: 1,657
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The boy who cried wolf is a great point of view. Police deal with a lot of people who lie as part of course. That said medical attention is a basic human right and they were too long getting her that treatment.
Plus, to start with there was no real reason to disbeleive her, they should have/ could have put her in their car taken her to hospital got her check out and if was well then take her to custody. Thats what we would have done in the UK.
Plus, to start with there was no real reason to disbeleive her, they should have/ could have put her in their car taken her to hospital got her check out and if was well then take her to custody. Thats what we would have done in the UK.
01 February 2007, 08:37 PM
#9
BANNED
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 659
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
who realy cares?? Not me. what goes around comes around for these people.
they should have maced the cow.
also I believe they would not have taken her to hospital as they and Uk police are not allowed due to legal/insurance regulations etc.
they should have maced the cow.
also I believe they would not have taken her to hospital as they and Uk police are not allowed due to legal/insurance regulations etc.
01 February 2007, 08:41 PM
#10
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (10)
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Clacton
Posts: 1,657
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Nice and cold. Like it. But, you're wrong. Police are duty bound to care for persons in custody and if that means taking them to hospital first over a police station then thats whats got to happen. Force policy for all police forces in the UK.
01 February 2007, 08:42 PM
#11
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,093
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
01 February 2007, 08:50 PM
#13
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Manchester
Posts: 364
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
01 February 2007, 08:54 PM
#15
SN Fairy Godmother
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Far Far Away
Posts: 35,246
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This is terrible 
No matter what sort of person she is, she did not deserve to be treat like this. The comment from the officer about it being a menstrual cycle beggars belief. There is a hell of a difference between a monthly and a miscarraige
I agree with the thread starter.
No matter what sort of person she is, she did not deserve to be treat like this. The comment from the officer about it being a menstrual cycle beggars belief. There is a hell of a difference between a monthly and a miscarraige
I agree with the thread starter.
01 February 2007, 08:55 PM
#16
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,093
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
not you....
seamaster
hence the reason i quoted him and not you in the original post....
and his racism was found here:
Originally Posted by Seamaster :
who realy cares?? Not me. what goes around comes around for these people.<-- racism
they should have maced the cow. <-- there is the stupidity
also I believe they would not have taken her to hospital as they and Uk police are not allowed due to legal/insurance regulations etc.<--ignorance
never lets me down.
seamaster
hence the reason i quoted him and not you in the original post....
and his racism was found here:
Originally Posted by Seamaster :
who realy cares?? Not me. what goes around comes around for these people.<-- racism
they should have maced the cow. <-- there is the stupidity
also I believe they would not have taken her to hospital as they and Uk police are not allowed due to legal/insurance regulations etc.<--ignorance
never lets me down.
01 February 2007, 08:57 PM
#17
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,093
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
01 February 2007, 09:07 PM
#19
Sorry but I read that to mean "these people" as in criminals - I think you may be one of those over-reacting PC types if you read anything more into that.
01 February 2007, 10:53 PM
#22
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (10)
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Clacton
Posts: 1,657
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I am a cop and I am allowed to transport ill/ injured people.
There is no reason why I couldn't. Clear some injuries are best left, spinal injuries for example. But some one able to walk and talk, thats fine.
If some one is dying in front of me I'm not going to watch and wait for a paramedic to arrive. Same would apply to the lady in this thread.
Use you head, not everything needs to be difficult. It's only difficult if people make it difficult.
And to bring it back on topic, just because she is a criminal, erm innocent until proven guilty, doesn't mean she should lose a baby. Saying otherwiseis heartless.
I appreciate the point of view that not everyone should be a parent and some certainly shouldn't be, but do you know this women? If not who are you to judge?!
There is no reason why I couldn't. Clear some injuries are best left, spinal injuries for example. But some one able to walk and talk, thats fine.
If some one is dying in front of me I'm not going to watch and wait for a paramedic to arrive. Same would apply to the lady in this thread.
Use you head, not everything needs to be difficult. It's only difficult if people make it difficult.
And to bring it back on topic, just because she is a criminal, erm innocent until proven guilty, doesn't mean she should lose a baby. Saying otherwiseis heartless.
I appreciate the point of view that not everyone should be a parent and some certainly shouldn't be, but do you know this women? If not who are you to judge?!
Last edited by jiffthejiffmanjaffa; 02 February 2007 at 01:38 PM. Reason: added more info
01 February 2007, 10:59 PM
#23
Are you medically qualified to make a decision to transport someone who is injured?
01 February 2007, 11:01 PM
#24
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Cas Vegas
Posts: 60,269
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I am a cop and I am aloud to transport ill/ injured people.
There is no reason why I couldn't.
If some one is dying in front of me I'm not going to watch and wait for a amblunce to arrive. Same would apply to the lady in this thread.
Use you head, not everything needs to be difficult. It's only difficult if people make it difficult.
And to bring it back on topic, just because she is a criminal, erm innocent until proven guilty, doesn't mean she should lose a baby. Saying otherwiseis heartless.
I appreciate the point of view that not everyone should be a parent and some certainly shouldn't be, but do you know this women? If not who are you to judge?!
There is no reason why I couldn't.
If some one is dying in front of me I'm not going to watch and wait for a amblunce to arrive. Same would apply to the lady in this thread.
Use you head, not everything needs to be difficult. It's only difficult if people make it difficult.
And to bring it back on topic, just because she is a criminal, erm innocent until proven guilty, doesn't mean she should lose a baby. Saying otherwiseis heartless.
I appreciate the point of view that not everyone should be a parent and some certainly shouldn't be, but do you know this women? If not who are you to judge?!
01 February 2007, 11:02 PM
#25
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,093
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I am a cop and I am aloud to transport ill/ injured people.
There is no reason why I couldn't.
If some one is dying in front of me I'm not going to watch and wait for a amblunce to arrive. Same would apply to the lady in this thread.
Use you head, not everything needs to be difficult. It's only difficult if people make it difficult.
And to bring it back on topic, just because she is a criminal, erm innocent until proven guilty, doesn't mean she should lose a baby. Saying otherwiseis heartless.
I appreciate the point of view that not everyone should be a parent and some certainly shouldn't be, but do you know this women? If not who are you to judge?!
There is no reason why I couldn't.
If some one is dying in front of me I'm not going to watch and wait for a amblunce to arrive. Same would apply to the lady in this thread.
Use you head, not everything needs to be difficult. It's only difficult if people make it difficult.
And to bring it back on topic, just because she is a criminal, erm innocent until proven guilty, doesn't mean she should lose a baby. Saying otherwiseis heartless.
I appreciate the point of view that not everyone should be a parent and some certainly shouldn't be, but do you know this women? If not who are you to judge?!
best ,most inteligent post yet.... my hat is off to this copp'er!
P.S. if you see a white 06 speeding in the Cambs area, just warn me via PM....
01 February 2007, 11:08 PM
#27
You are on form tonight! 
01 February 2007, 11:21 PM
#30
SN Fairy Godmother
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Far Far Away
Posts: 35,246
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts