Father says police report fails to answer why son was left to die trapped in his van

The father of an Ohio teen who died trapped in his van says report falls short.

May 14, 2018, 4:29 PM

The father of an Ohio teenager who died of asphyxia while trapped in a parked van says a police investigation fell short in answering why it took six hours to find his son who made two desperate 911 calls, including one in which he said, "I'm gonna to die here."

The father, Ron Plush, told Cincinnati City Council members on Monday that he would like an outside agency to investigate the failures that delayed rescuers in finding his 16-year-old son, Kyle, who in a freak April accident was pinned under the rear fold-over seat of his minivan while in a parking lot at his high school.

PHOTO: Kyle Plush, 16, a sophomore at Seven Hills School made at least two 911 calls as he was being crushed to death in his van in the school parking lot in Cincinnati, April 10, 2018.
Kyle Plush, 16, a sophomore at Seven Hills School made at least two 911 calls as he was being crushed to death in his van in the school parking lot in Cincinnati, April 10, 2018.
Cincinatti.com/USA TODAY Network

"Kyle knew he was in trouble and didn't call his mom and dad. He knew he needed to call the one entity that could respond quickly and ultimately address the immediate crisis the best. Was that unpredictable?" Ron Plush said.

Kyle Plush, 16, died from "asphyxia due to chest compression."
Kyle Plush, 16, died from "asphyxia due to chest compression."

He spoke after Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot Isaac presented the findings of an investigation that showed a series of equipment failures and missteps by personnel that led to delays in getting to Kyle.

PHOTO: Kyle Plush, 16, a sophomore at Seven Hills School made at least two 911 calls as he was being crushed to death in his van in the school parking lot in Cincinnati, April 10, 2018.
Kyle Plush, 16, a sophomore at Seven Hills School made at least two 911 calls as he was being crushed to death in his van in the school parking lot in Cincinnati, April 10, 2018.
Cincinatti.com/USA TODAY Network

"I would like to be clear why we are here: We need to thoroughly understand all the things that went wrong so that something like this doesn't happen again," Ron Plush said.

He noted a "long history of issues" with the city's 911 emergency system.

PHOTO: Kyle Plush, 16, a sophomore at Seven Hills School made at least two 911 calls as he was being crushed to death in his van in the school parking lot in Cincinnati, April 10, 2018.
Kyle Plush, 16, a sophomore at Seven Hills School made at least two 911 calls as he was being crushed to death in his van in the school parking lot in Cincinnati, April 10, 2018.
Cincinatti.com/USA TODAY Network

"Some of these issues go back years and have not been fixed. Why?" the father asked.

Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley started Monday's hearing by telling Ron Plush, "We failed."

"We failed to get the outcome that we wanted in this emergency situation," Cranley said. "In all cases, we can do better, we should do better."