911 call from Powell home explosion “most frustrating conversation”

Authorities released the 911 call on Tuesday of a social worker standing outside Josh Powell’s home where he killed himself and his two sons (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

On Tuesday, authorities released the 911 call placed by the social worker charged with supervising the visit between Josh Powell and his two sons 5-year-old Braden and 7-year-old Charles.

Listening to the call on 97.3 KIRO FM’s Ross and Burbank Show, host Dave Ross calls it, “the most frustrating conversation you can imagine.”

Listen to social worker’s 911 call

The six minute, 46 second call hits its first stumbling block when the operator asks the social worker for her location.

Operator: What’s the address?
Elizabeth: It’s 8119. I think it’s 89th. I don’t know what the address is.
Operator: That’s pretty important for me to know.
Elizabeth: Just a minute, let me get in my car to see if I can find it. Nothing like this has happened before on these visitations. I’m really shocked. I could hear one of the kids crying but he still wouldn’t let me in.
(she continues searching for the address)
Elizabeth: You can’t find me by GPS?
Operator: No.

After locating the address, the two become confused speaking about who the supervisor is on this visit.

Operator: Who is there to exercise their visitation?
Elizabeth: I am, the visit is with Josh Powell?
Operator: Who is supervising?
Elizabeth: I supervise.
Operator: So you supervise and you’re doing the visit? You supervise yourself.
Elizabeth: I supervise myself. I’m the supervisor here.

“She answered one of the questions incorrectly. The answer should have been ‘Josh Powell is the person being supervised,’ but you have her obviously really upset by what’s already happened, and by this building sense of dread,” notes host Luke Burbank. “The question is, has this operator dispatched help yet?”

Authorities have not yet made it clear at what point during the call emergency responders were operator.

Ross notes it’s around 3 minutes and 40 seconds into the call when the operator seems clear on what the situation is.

Elizabeth says the boys have been in the home for approximately 10 minutes, about four minutes into the 911 call.

“I really think this whole thing comes down to when they sent the people out to help in this situation because if the people are already on the way and he’s just collecting useful information, I don’t see anything wrong here,” says Burbank. “If he’s crossing every T and dotting every I and having this incredibly labored conversation about the technique of supervision, etc. while these kids are in this house with this maniac, then (Luke would have a problem).”

Listen to Ross and Burbank conversation about 911 call

Six minutes into the call there is no indication the fire has started and the operator tells the social worker someone will contact her on-site when they arrive.

Operator: We’ll have somebody look for you there.
Elizabeth: How long will it be?
Operator: I don’t know. They have to respond to emergency, life threatening situations first.
Elizabeth: This could be life threatening. He went to court on Wednesday and he didn’t get his kids back. I’m afraid for their lives.
Operator: Has he threatened the lives of the children previously?
Elizabeth: I have no idea.
Operator: Alright, we’ll have the first available deputy contact you.

“If there’s any problem, this is it. It’s not until six minutes into the call that she makes it clear that she thinks this is a life threatening emergency. Apparently, up to that point he’s not sure just how urgent this is,” says Ross.

But Burbank points out the operator’s message does not appear to change after she says she’s fearful for the childrens’ lives.

“He ends the call saying the deputy will get there when they get there, which is the same thing he said before she expressed that this, in her opinion, was life threatening.”

Both Ross and Burbank note that the situation presented to the operator is likely something they hear often.

“Child custody disputes are a dime a dozen,” says Ross.

“How many times do you have somebody who’s locked themselves in a house who’s being uncooperative. In the defense of this operator, that doesn’t sound like something that is as life-threatening as say a guy is holding a gun pointing it at someone,” says Burbank.

You might also be interested in:
Chilling 911 calls from Powell home explosion released
Funeral for Charlie, Braden Powell planned for Saturday
Autopsies: Josh Powell’s sons suffered chop injuries
Timeline of events in Powell case

By JAMIE GRISWOLD, MyNorthwest.com Editor