NEWSLOCAL NEWS Policy for questionable death calls revised by Waco PD
NEWSLOCAL NEWS Policy for questionable death calls revised by Waco PD
WACO, TX — The Waco Police Department made an announcement today, May 7, that they will change the way they respond to questionable death investigations after the death of Robert Pearson.
WACO POLICE...WHENOFFICERS RESPOND TOA QUESTIONABLEDEATH..IT COMES AFTERSTORY WE FIRSTBROUGHT YOU EARLIERIN THE WEEK...ABOUT AMAN WHO WAS ABELOVED FIXTURE INMCLENNAN COUNTY.ROBERT PEARSON WASA STAPLE OF WACO.A LONGTIMESHOESHINER.THEREWAS HARDLY A FACE ORNAME HE DIDN'TKNOW.WHICH MAKESTHE CIRCUMSTANCESSURROUNDING HISDEATH EARLIER THISWEEK ALL THE MORETRAGIC."HE WAS DECLARED DEAD,AND THEN WE GOT THEWORD A COUPLE OF HOURSLATER THAT MAY NOT BE THECASEWACO POLICE ARRIVEDTO PEARSON'SAPARTMENT MONDAYFOR A WELFARECHECK.
AFTER THE 76YEAR OLD HADN'T BEENSEEN FOR SEVERALDAYSINITIALLY.THEY WERETOLD HE HADPASSED.AND POLICESAY THEY OBSERVEDNO SIGNS OF LIFE.WHEN THE LOCALJUSTICE OF THE PEACESHOWED UP, HE ALSODECLARED PEARSDEAD.BUT WHEN MORTUARYWORKERS CAME TORETRIEVE THE MAN.ITTURNED OUT HE WASSTILL ALIVE.AND SOONRUSHED TO THEHOSPITAL, WHERE HEDID EVENTUALLY DIE.NO ONE KNOWS IF THATLOST, PRECIOUSWINDOW OF TIME WHENOFFICERS FIRSTRESPONDED COULDHAVE HELPEDPEARSON.BUT WACOPD ADMIT THEY NEEDTO DO BETTER.THE NEW CHIEF,SHERYL VICTORIAN,SAYING IN A STATEMENTQUOTE "I AMDISAPPOINTED IN OURINITIAL RESPONSE TOTHIS INVESTIGATIONFURTHERINVESTIGATION ANDTHEN CONTACTINGMEDICAL PERSONNELWOULD HAVE BEEN ANACCEPTABLE COURSEOF ACTION.""WE HAVE CLASSES ONDETERMINING MANNER OFDEATH AND CAUSE OFDEATH, NORMALLY WHATWE'LL DO IS WE WILL HAVE AFORENSIC PATHOLOGISTCOME IN FROM A, FROM AMEDICAL EXAMINER'SOFFICE."JUSTICE OF TPEACE'S ALSOUNDERGO TRAINIFOR DEATHINVESTIGATIONS.REGARDLESS.WACOPOLICE SAY THEY'REREVISING THEIR POLICYTO ENSURFIREFIGHTERS ORPARAMEDICS ARE NOWALWAYS CALLED.IF ADEATH APPEARSQUESTIONABLE"I'M GONNA MISS HIM"CHIEF VICTORIAN WASSWORN IN ABOUT TMONTHS AGO AND THISIS HER FIRST MAJORPOLICY CHANGE WITHINTHE DEPARTMENT.VICTORIAN HAS ALSOSAID SHE WANTS TOINCREASE THEDEPARTMENT'SDIVERSITY ANDCOMMUNITY RELATIONS.THE CHIEF SAYS SHEWANTS TO MAKE AWACO A MODEL CITYFOR PUBLIC SAFETYAND COMMUNITYPOLICE PARTNERSHIPS.
