Tragic Story- Good Dispatching

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http://www.beloitdailynews.com/articles/2005/12/15/news/news04.txt

Beloit Daily News

Beloit, WI

911 tape reveals last moments of boy's life

By Jen Scherer

Daily News staff writer

Drinking death trial could conclude today

ROCKFORD - There were sobs from both sides of the courtroom as

friends and family listened to a 911 tape recounting the last moments

of a 13-year-old Rockford boy's life.

Todd Trosper, 21, of Roscoe is on trial this week for endangering the

life of a child causing death, giving alcohol to a person under the

age of 21 and underage drinking in connection with the death of his

cousin, Blake Barrone, who died of alcohol poisoning July 3, 2004.

Opening statements were given Tuesday in Winnebago County Court and

testimony resumed in Judge Prochaska's court room Wednesday morning.

Trosper testified he saw both his son and Blake in the house

at about 11 p.m. He said he saw the boys going to and from the hot

tub and later making a snack in the kitchen. He broke into tears

recounting how he'd teased Blake who was stirring chocolate milk.

He testified he last saw the two around 1 a.m. when he went to bed

and said the boys were not drinking alcohol during the time he saw them.

" They wouldn't do that in front of me, " he said.

Blake's father, Jerry Barrone, testified about meeting with Trosper

and his mother, Kay Trosper, July 17 in the parking lot of his

workplace. Trosper told him who bought the alcohol and described

Blake having one beer after R. Dwyer, 20, of Rockton, and

Hook, 20, of Rockton, came over, and then passed a bottle of Captain

Rum around in the driveway.

Barrone said Trosper told him Blake was acting sleepy and sick and

they didn't want anyone to know he'd been drinking, so a decision was

made to hide him at the Barrone house in Rockford because no one was

home. Once there, Blake wouldn't wake up and they called 911.

Throughout the morning, family members could be seen comforting each

other and various people had to leave the courtroom to compose

themselves. Perhaps the most heart- wrenching evidence was the 911

tape which was played for the jury.

Dwyer phoned just after 3 a.m. July 3, telling the dispatcher Blake

was unconscious and that he'd only had about 6 ounces of rum.

" I think he's going to stop breathing, " Dwyer said, repeatedly

interrupting the dispatchers questions to ask for the ambulance and

instructions for helping Blake.

The dispatcher, ph Girourad, told Dwyer what to do when Blake

reportedly vomited and then instructed him in CPR. Dwyer told the

dispatcher they're doing compressions but Blake is not breathing.

Yelling and panicked voices are heard in the background.

" Tell me what to do sir, " he begs, at one point saying, " I think he's

not gonna live. "

Agonizing minutes pass as Dwyer repeatedly asks for an ambulance,

saying Blake is not breathing. The first person to arrive is a

firefighter who began performing CPR. Dwyer remains on the line as

the fireman, later identified as Philip Timm, calls out to Blake

yelling, " Come on Blake, come on, Blake you're gonna be all right,

wake up Blake, wake up. "

Deputies from the Winnebago County Sheriff's department and an

ambulance arrived on the scene. Dwyer insisted to the dispatcher that

Blake had only had spiced rum, but when Girourad says the information

could save Blake's life, Dwyer said Blake might have smoked some

marijuana and he doesn't know what Blake had before he got there.

Blake had been down for 10 minutes, according to the dispatch tape,

when the ambulance arrived.

Blake's parents doubled over in tears throughout much of the tape,

and people throughout the courtroom cried openly clutching tissues.

Jurors could be seen glancing at the family as they listened, many

taking notes.

Timm testified that he is a neighbor of the Barrone family. When he

was paged, he recognized the address and instead of reporting to the

North West Fire Department station, he stopped to try and help Blake.

" I knew it was Blake and it was personal, " Timm said of why he broke

from procedure. " I saw him there and I thought I could do something. "

He said he didn't see anyone doing compressions and there was vomit

on both sides of Blake's head so he didn't believe anyone had tried

ventilating him. Timm said he thought he felt a faint pulse in the

neck but when he checked for a radial pulse Blake's arm was cold and

he couldn't find one.

Blake died at Rockford Memorial Hospital. His blood-alcohol level was

..337, more than four times the legal limit for drivers in Illinois.

Prosecution, lead by Winnebago County Deputy State's Attorney Chuck

Prorok and assistant State's Attorney Geannette Wittendorf continued

into the afternoon. Closing arguments could begin today.

Trosper's attorney is Debra Schafer.

Dwyer has accepted a plea and received probation for his role in the

incident. Hook is scheduled to appear Dec. 19 for a possible plea deal.