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Mother says Norwich police response delayed before son's death; inspector general investigating
Summary
Donna Dunphy told the council her son, Jacob Evans, suffered a medical emergency in September 2024, and she alleges delayed ambulance response, inconsistent official reports and lack of transparency; she said the case is under investigation by the Office of Inspector General.
Donna Dunphy addressed the council on Jan. 21 to describe concerns about the response and subsequent recordkeeping after her son, Jacob Evans, was found in distress in Norwich on Sept. 15, 2024.
Dunphy said her son knocked on a business door at 7:01 p.m. seeking water and help and that the business manager called 911. She said Norwich Police Department officers arrived, but an Advanced Life Support ambulance was not called until 7:38 p.m., 37 minutes after the initial call. She said her son suffered respiratory failure, received multiple bronchoscopies to remove debris from his lungs and died 16 days later. "I've been waiting 4 months for transparency for my son's last hour of life," Dunphy told the council.
Dunphy said she requested records, including the 911 call, restaurant camera footage, officers' body-camera and dashcam footage, and the police incident report, but that she has not received them and that some police reports she received appeared heavily redacted or inconsistent with hospital accounts. She said she filed a complaint with the Norwich Police Department and provided a copy to the mayor. She also said an officer had told her she was no longer allowed to speak with anyone at the police department, which she described as a violation of her civil rights.
Nut graf: Dunphy asked the council for transparency and said the Office of Inspector General is investigating the case; she urged access to records that she said are necessary to understand the circumstances of her son's final hours.
Council response: Dunphy said her attempts to reach the responding officer were unsuccessful and that she had not received records within the city’s posted turnaround timeframe; no council action was recorded at the meeting beyond taking her statement for the public record.
Ending: Dunphy said she is in possession of her son's clothing and police-issued items and that she will continue to press for documents and answers while the inspector general investigation proceeds.
