Police accused of ‘stonewalling’ family of man who died after making 911 call
Global News
The family of an Ontario man who contacted 911 for help but was unable to speak are demanding answers as to why emergency services were not sent to his address the night he died.
On the morning of Aug. 30, 2024, Rick Buerger and Christine Stark arrived at their brother Ralph Buerger’s house in Fonthill, Ont., to find he had died overnight at just 59 years old.
They later learned Ralph had contacted 911 at 2:56 a.m., apparently to ask for help, but he’d been unable to speak. The call lasted 35 seconds.
A recording of the call, released to the family after Global News began asking questions of police, contains what sounds like someone falling to the ground, followed by apparent heavy breathing.
Despite the sounds appearing audible in the recording, neither police nor paramedics were dispatched to Ralph’s address that night. The family said police promised them an investigation into why a wellness check wasn’t ordered, with officers, they said, acknowledging something had gone wrong.
Almost a year later, however, Rick and Christine are still waiting to see the results of the investigation into what happened that night, which they were told was complete in October.
Rick and Christine say police said they’d have to use freedom of information laws to access a recording of the 911 call and read the investigation. Officers told them the report cleared the operator and police of making any mistake.
Until Thursday, neither Rick nor Christine had been given access to the recording as they tried to navigate a complicated appeals process and police accountability mechanisms.
They say the entire ordeal has been traumatic, cruel and unnecessary.
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