3 Unnerving & Disturbing 911 Calls With Audio

What is discussed, and when

1. 0:00 – 5:00: Kyle Plush, 7 Hills School, 911
2. 5:00 – 10:00: Josh Powell, Susan Powell, Ronald Plush, 2004 Honda Odyssey
3. 10:00 – 15:00: Steven Powell
4. 15:00 – 20:00: Loretta Pickard, Josh Powell, Susan Powell, Lakeland, Florida
5. 20:00 – 23:41: Loretta Pickard

Notable quotes from "3 Unnerving & Disturbing 911 Calls With Audio"

• Accident. Unlike any other typical automotive incidents, the vehicle that Kyle was in was not even in motion. Kyle was on the 7 Hills school tennis team.

  about 7 Hills School · at 1:12

• Other were saying. Eventually, the operator made out what Kyle was trying to say, which was, I'm at 7 Hills. I'm going to die here. And officers were sent to the parking lot…

  about Kyle Plush · at 2:55

• 3:35 p.m. This time, he was able to provide more details on the car he was in. He stated that he was in a gold 2004 Honda Odyssey. In the midst of the call, he had the chance…

  about 2004 Honda Odyssey · at 6:29

• Kyle was eventually found by his own father, Ronald Plush, around 9:00 p.m.

  about Ronald Plush · at 8:25

• Keeping journals, saving emails, and much more. This being the case, she was actually documenting her fears. Josh Powell, her husband, was not seen to be outwardly violent. He…

  about Josh Powell · at 9:38

• Wrote about something so disturbing it should have raised red flags immediately. She wrote, If I die, it may not be an accident, even if it looks like one. What's crazier is…

  about Susan Powell · at 11:00

• Life. No one or nothing can stop it. All we can afford to do is sit back and enjoy the ride. At 76 years old, Loretta Pickard is not expected to be able to run, climb, or do…

  about Loretta Pickard · at 17:21

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

• Kyle Plush — Person · Referenced victim (case study) · 3 mentions · first at 0:56
  Central figure in the first 911-call case; his entrapment and failed dispatch response illustrate how communication breakdowns can be fatal.
• Susan Powell — Person · Referenced victim (case study) · 2 mentions · first at 9:12
  Central figure in the second case; her disappearance and documented fears frame the later domestic-violence tragedy and systemic failures.
• Josh Powell — Person · Referenced perpetrator/suspect (case study) · 2 mentions · first at 9:43
  Portrayed as the primary suspect in Susan Powell’s disappearance and the perpetrator of the 2012 murder-suicide involving his children.
• Loretta Pickard — Person · Referenced victim (case study) · 3 mentions · first at 17:26
  Central figure in the third 911-call case; her inability to self-evacuate and delayed rescue response highlight operational/protocol failures.
• Steven Powell — Person · Referenced perpetrator/antagonist (case study) · 2 mentions · first at 10:26
  Josh Powell’s father; described as obsessively stalking Susan and later arrested for voyeurism, adding context to the family’s threat environment.
  In addition to this mess of a situation, there was also Steven Powell, Josh's father, a man who was unhealthily obsessed with Susan till it crossed every imaginary boundary. Steven would follow Susan around with a camcorder.
• Ronald Plush — Person · Referenced family member (finder/next of kin) · 1 mention · first at 8:25
  Kyle Plush’s father; he discovered Kyle after the failed response, underscoring the time gap and consequences of miscommunication.

Products & tech

• 2004 Honda Odyssey — Product · vehicle involved in a tragic incident · 1 mention · first at 6:34
  The specific vehicle model is crucial for understanding the context of the emergency call and the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Concepts & topics

• 911 — Concept · 1 mention · first at 2:33
  A state of panic and immense pain, Kyle still had the brilliant mind to contact emergency services. This is because he called 911 not by using his hands, but by using Siri on…

Places & events

• 7 Hills School — Place · 2 mentions · first at 0:58
• Lakeland, Florida — Place · 1 mention · first at 17:56
  Stayed on the phone, calm and frightened as smoke filled her home. Firefighters arrived outside. Loretta Pickard lived alone in Lakeland, Florida. She was recovering from a hip…

Full transcript with timestamps

0:02 In today's modern world of technology, communication has never been easier, no matter the timing or circumstances. However, in some cases, it may be the only determining factor between life and death. Throughout the world, the people who experience the most stress when it comes to phone calls are emergency dispatchers. Fortunately, some 911 calls end with help arriving just in the nick of time, and others end in nothing but a gut-wrenching silence in the air, along with questions that never fade away with time. These are real emergency calls that took a turn for the worse. Calls that still leave a chilling impact on the operators and even the world. No reenactment, no legends, just real calls and the frightening circumstances behind them. These are real 911 calls that still haunt operators.

0:56 Kyle Plush was a 16-year-old sophomore student at the 7 Hills School, Cincinnati, Ohio. He was akin to every young teen who has dreams and aspirations. However, in the most tragic turn of events, his dreams and very own life was crushed in an unforeseen accident. Unlike any other typical automotive incidents, the vehicle that Kyle was in was not even in motion. Kyle was on the 7 Hills school tennis team. On April 10th, 2018, around 300 p.m., Kyle was driving a 2004 minivan and had arrived at his school parking lot as he had a tennis match to attend. However, he never even made it to the court. What had transpired turned out to be everyone's worst nightmare in a twisted version of the movie 127 Hours. The difference was that help was so close yet so far for Kyle Plush, and his demise only took six harrowing hours.

1:50 Upon arriving at his destination, Kyle needed his tennis gear, which was located at the very back of the minivan. Without hesitation, he then proceeded to climb and stretch his body, going past the rows of seats until he reached the very end. Unbeknownst to him, the rear seat suddenly sprung backwards, hurling Kyle to the trunk, pinning him upside down, and his chest crushed by approximately 70 lb of pressure. Finding himself trapped between the trunk and the folded seat, Kyle tried relentlessly to free himself. However, with the amount of weight and pressure pressing against him, he just couldn't get the strength to get himself out of the predicament he was in. Despite being in a state of panic and immense pain, Kyle still had the brilliant mind to contact emergency services. This is because he called 911 not by using his hands, but by using Siri on his phone. What was shocking was that Kyle had not made only

2:42 one call, but two 911 calls. The first one was reported to be at 3:16 p.m. pleading for help. Initially, due to the position that he was in, neither he nor the operator could understand what each other were saying. Eventually, the operator made out what Kyle was trying to say, which was, "I'm at 7 Hills. I'm going to die here." And officers were sent to the parking lot that Kyle was located in. Two officers were at the location at 3:26 p.m. who spent about 11 minutes patrolling the area to look for anyone in distress.

3:15 Cincinnati is the address of Cincinnati 911. I'm stuck in my bed outside the Seven Hills parking lot.

3:32 The Seven Hills what parking lot? I need help. Where are you? Hey, spirit. Hello.

3:49 Hello. Hello. Hello. Help. Where are you? Hello. Where are you? Can you hear me?

4:16 Yes. in my bed. Hello. Where are you? I can't hear you. I'm I think that's the What is the address? I'm in help. I can't hear you.

4:56 Where are you? Hello. I'm going to die here. Where are you? Help it. From this call, we can hear Kyle's desperate need for help. But due to the situation he was in, it was difficult to make out what he was saying. His voice can be heard faintly saying that he was in a school parking lot, followed by thuds, multiple hellos, asking for help, and somewhat of a scream. This was then ended with a cold silence toward the end. While the officers were patrolling the school parking lot, that's when Kyle had made the second 911 call at around 3:35 p.m. This time, he was able to provide more details on the car he was in. He stated that he was in a gold 2004 Honda Odyssey. In the midst of the call, he had the chance to say, "I probably don't have much time left, so tell my mom I love her if I die." These are the words that should never be spoken by an innocent young person. In a twist of events, the information Kyle gave

6:54 regarding the color, make, and model of the car that could have saved his life, that information was somehow never relayed to the officers who were present at the very parking lot that Kyle was at. At 3:37 p.m., the officers closed the incident as they did not find anyone in distress and continued on with their duty, leaving poor Kyle stranded and suffering in his minivan.

7:16 911. What is the address for your emergency? Anyone there? I can I can't hear what you're saying. your skin quickly. However, I'm probably don't have much time left to tell my mom that I love her if I die. This is not a joke. This is not a joke. I'm trapped inside my gold Honda Odyssey van in the software parking lot of seven hair hills back. Send officers immediately. I'm almost dead. Kyle's last wish is what every parent should not hear. Even after providing the right information and the officers being so close, yet help was so far.

8:25 Kyle was eventually found by his own father, Ronald Plush, around 9:00 p.m. in a parking lot near the school in Madisonville about 6 hours after his first call to 911. On the eve of the 3-year anniversary of Kyle's passing, the city of Cincinnati agreed to pay $6 million to Kyle's family to settle a wrongful death lawsuit, which was the second largest settlement in the city after years of fighting for justice. Kyle's passing has since been a benchmark in the city and country to ensure that all emergency service center personnel are properly and extensively trained to ensure no unfortunate incidents such as the one Kyle had to endure would ever happen again.

9:07 Some cases leave people in a state of shock and others leave an impression that it was inevitable. The disappearance of Susan Powell in December 2009 falls in the latter category. This may seem like any other missing person's case on the surface. However, it's more comparable to a fuse burning in real time before an explosion happens, literally. In essence, Susan did not just vanish. She was taken out of the equation. Susan was a meticulous individual. That meant she documented everything she goes through, such as keeping journals, saving emails, and much more. This being the case, she was actually documenting her fears. Josh Powell, her husband, was not seen to be outwardly violent. He didn't have the typical characteristics of a serial killer. He was quiet, socially awkward, and emotionally cold, much like an unsettling character that just lingers in the background. These are most often

10:01 the dangerous type of people. Josh was deemed to be the controlling type and detached with reality, all while Susan carried the heavy burdens, bearing the emotional, financial, and parental weight. As Josh did his best, simply drifting between jobs, harboring resentful feelings, Susan's friends began to notice that she seemed odd. For example, less confident and more timid, like she was always afraid of something. In addition to this mess of a situation, there was also Steven Powell, Josh's father, a man who was unhealthily obsessed with Susan till it crossed every imaginary boundary. Steven would follow Susan around with a camcorder filming her. He wrote songs about her.

10:40 He even spied on her using a small piece of glass while she was changing or whenever she was in the shower. Susan felt haunted as if she was prey being stalked by a predator at all times. It doesn't help the fact that Josh is completely aware of this, however, did absolutely nothing. That silence matters. In one of Susan's journals, she wrote about something so disturbing it should have raised red flags immediately. She wrote, "If I die, it may not be an accident, even if it looks like one." What's crazier is that Susan had explicitly mentioned Josh's name in her journal. It was evident that this wasn't paranoia. It was intuition sharpened by fear. She had already planned to leave, as there was proof that she researched on divorce proceedings, which meant that she was planning an exit. However, it was unfortunately short-lived and fruitless.

11:31 On the night of December 6th, 2009, Susan was home with her two sons, Charlie and Braden, who at the time were 5 and 2 years old, respectively. This is the turning point where life took a plunge for Susan and her sons. On the same night, Josh had apparently taken the boys out to go camping. What didn't make sense was that he decided to take them in the middle of the night in the freezing cold of winter while it was also a school night. It was also said that Susan never followed them because she wasn't feeling well.

12:01 When morning came, Susan had vanished into thin air. Her purse, phone, shoes, coat, all the things people take with them when they intend to leave were left untouched, like she simply evaporated from the house. Following the disappearance, police arrived at her house for a welfare check, but something about the house felt wrong in a way that can't be described. There were no signs of struggle. There was just absence. Eventually, Josh returned with the kids while having a calm demeanor that's almost unsettling. Officers noticed scratches on his hands and neck, and when questioned, his answers shifted.

12:38 Details changed. His story bent in every different way every time it was examined. The minivan he drove tested positive for blood. However, that alone was not enough to charge him. This is where the case becomes unbearable. Charlie, the older son, started saying things that don't align with Josh's stories. He told investigators things such as, "Mommy followed to the camp. Dad took mommy somewhere. Mommy didn't come back." It's a known fact that kids are not good at lying. What Charlie said did not sound like imagination, but rather fragments of a memory he didn't understand.

13:15 Even when presented with Charlie's claims, Josh never reacted with grief, desperation, or panic. just cold mechanical defensiveness. Without a body, the prosecution team couldn't press charges toward Josh. He instead invoked his right to silence and refused to cooperate entirely. He then packed his kids and brought them to Washington, away from Utah and public scrutiny. Legally, he was still just the husband of a missing woman. As the investigation digs deeper, the disturbing behavior of Josh's father, Steven Powell, comes into full view. His obsession with Susan was no longer a speculation. It was all documented in video recordings, journals, and even songs. Steven was then arrested, but for a whole different reason. He was charged with voyerism and he went to prison believing that Susan was still alive, still writing about her, still clinging on to sick fantasies.

14:12 Seeing as how his days may be numbered, Josh left a digital will. in the will. He went on a rant about betrayal, control, and money. He also insisted he was being persecuted. However, he made one thing terrifyingly clear. He would not accept it if he lost his children. At this juncture, it wasn't a cry for help. It was a warning. By the year 2012, Josh's mental state had deteriorated. He refused psychological evaluations and isolated himself. The courts had determined that he was only allowed supervised visitation of his sons. It may seem like the best and safest solution, but it was just adding fuel to the flame. Susan's parents had fought tirelessly and desperately for custody for their grandsons because they felt something terrible was about to happen. Unfortunately, that feeling couldn't be more true. On February 5th, 2012, Josh had arrived at his rental house for a supervised visit. While this

15:10 incident took place, the social worker had waited outside, which proved to be a fatal decision. Josh ushered the boys into the house and then in a flash closed the door and locked it. Within minutes, neighbors reported hearing screaming coming from inside the house. Josh had ruthlessly attacked his sons with a hatchet. The nightmare didn't end there. He then proceeded to pour gasoline throughout the house and ignited it. From official reports, the explosion could be heard and felt blocks away. The social worker dialed 911, but it was all too late. The fire quickly enveloped the whole house, and there was nothing anyone could do about it. Both Charlie and Braden died from a combination of blunt force trauma by the hands of their own father and smoke inhalation. Josh met his demise in the fire. It was deliberate and calculated.

16:00 Something that indicates the way Josh intended it to be in control even in death.

16:06 But I think I need help right away. He He's on a very short lease with DFHS and CPS has been involved. And this is the craziest thing. He looked right at me and closed the door. And I'd like to pull out of the driveway cuz I smell gasoline and he won't let me in. This could be life-threatening. He went to court on Wednesday and he he didn't get his kids back and this is really I'm I'm afraid for their lives. He blew up the house and the kids. HE SLAMMED THE DOOR IN MY FACE. So I kept knocking. I thought it was an escape. Kids were one step ahead of me. They're five and seven. They were one step ahead of me and he slammed the door in my face.

16:45 Only after Josh's death, the prosecutors had decided to say what everyone already knew. Josh Powell murdered Susan Powell. The case was tragically closed without Susan's remains ever being found to this day, nor will she ever be found. Susan's parents later sued the state and won. This had a positive impact in how child services handle high-risisk domestic violence cases. It was justice, however, it came far too late.

17:19 Growing old is a natural process in life. No one or nothing can stop it. All we can afford to do is sit back and enjoy the ride. At 76 years old, Loretta Pickard is not expected to be able to run, climb, or do anything anyone under the age of 60 is able to do. She was trapped in her own body. On the ill- fated night that her house caught on fire, she couldn't manage to escape on her own. So, she did the only thing she was able to do at her frail age. She called 911. For nearly 20 dreadful minutes, Loretta stayed on the phone, calm and frightened as smoke filled her home. Firefighters arrived outside. Loretta Pickard lived alone in Lakeland, Florida. She was recovering from a hip surgery she just had and relied on her walker as the only means of getting from room to room.

18:07 Every step was slow and painful. Speed was never an option, even on a good day. And on this night, speed was the determining factor between life and death. When smoke first appeared on the evening of November 23rd, 2018, Loretta didn't hesitate. She didn't waste time and never assumed it would pass. She immediately called for help. From the moment the line connected, Loretta explained her situation clearly. She told the dispatcher she was in the house. She told them she was alone and that she was on her walker. She also told them she could not get out by herself. She was not hysterical, nor was she screaming. She was calm and precise.

18:46 She depended on any ability she had left to stay calm and composed so that she could deal with the situation she was in. The whole circumstance made the 911 call so much harder to listen to. As minutes passed, the smoke thickened. The dispatcher kept reassuring her again and again that help was coming. Sirens could be heard in the distance and for a moment allowed Loretta to feel like there was a chance that she could be able to survive the predicament without as much as a singed hair. At one point, her voice cracks just enough to reveal the fear underneath her trembling breath. "They know I'm in here, right?"

19:20 she asked. Then, even quieter, "They're coming for me, aren't they?" Fire crews arrived while Loretta was still alive. They were just outside her home, ready to barge in and save her. They had hoses, gear, radios, and training drilled into them for moments exactly like this. And yet, no one went in. For roughly eight agonizing minutes, firefighters were at the scene while Loretta remained inside the actively burning house. She was still on the phone, conscious, waiting, and hanging on to the reassuring words and sounds of sirens. All the readily available tools and manpower to save her, but no confirmed rescue attempt was made. That 8-minute window is where the story becomes unbearable because fires don't wait and smoke doesn't care about procedures.

20:07 Later investigations would uncover what went wrong, which surprisingly wasn't one simple mistake. It was many stacked together. Somehow, critical information didn't move the way it should have. Some firefighters were never clearly informed that a helpless old lady was trapped inside. A system that should have displayed that fact wasn't working properly. Words that could have saved a life got lost between screens. Under normal circumstances, protocol took priority over urgency. This bears the meaning that firefighters abide by a rule called two in two out. This was designed to ensure their safety during breaching operations. However, that rule was an exception when someone's life was in danger. Loretta was in immediate danger and the exception was never used.

20:52 On the other end of the line, Loretta was still being reassured that help was indeed coming. Firefighters were there and she was in fact not alone. But reassurances don't put out a fire. As the call continued, Loretta's voice weakened. Her words became slower and her breathing became more and more labored. The house was no longer just on fire. It was consuming the air itself. It's a tough listen as Loretta screamed in agony before the dreaded silence came. When firefighters finally entered the house, Loretta Pickard was already dead. What transpired next only made the story darker and more infuriating.

21:30 Investigators later revealed that a fire captain on scene had recorded a Snapchat video of the burning house while the incident was still active and of course while Loretta was still inside. The video rightfully ignited public outrage and became a symbol of how attention had drifted away from the suffering old lady being trapped in flames. A 242page independent investigation followed the incident. It laid everything out. The communication failures, hesitation, and recklessness. The fire chief promptly stepped down and resigned shortly after the incident, and the county approved a settlement for Loretta's family.

22:06 However, all this could have been avoided in the first place. Nothing anyone can do can bring back the life of a deceased. But because of it, policies changed, training was updated, and protocols were rewritten. The 911 call was not the only thing that made this case a haunting one. She believed rescue was only moments away, and she sadly passed believing that. Are the flames going to hear you?

22:39 Is the fire near you? Hello. Hello. Hello. HELLO. HELLO. HELLO. Some calls don't end when the line goes dead. They become a haunting reminder for years to come.

Questions about this episode

What is discussed in "3 Unnerving & Disturbing 911 Calls With Audio"?

In order: 0:00 Kyle Plush, 7 Hills School, 911; 5:00 Josh Powell, Susan Powell, Ronald Plush, 2004 Honda Odyssey; 10:00 Steven Powell; 15:00 Loretta Pickard, Josh Powell, Susan Powell, Lakeland, Florida; 20:00 Loretta Pickard.

What is mentioned in this Mr. Nightmare episode?

10 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Kyle Plush, Susan Powell, Josh Powell, Loretta Pickard, 911, Steven Powell. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "3 Unnerving & Disturbing 911 Calls With Audio"?

The episode runs 24 min; the transcript is about 3,408 words in 33 timestamped sections.

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