911 dispatcher placed on leave after Kyle Plush’s van death to return to work

Amber Smith, the 911 dispatcher who had been placed on leave after 16-year-old Kyle Plush became trapped and died in his van last week, will return to work Wednesday. Smith was placed on leave because she could not relay a description of the van to officers looking for Plush.

>> Read more trending news

WCPO reported that police spokesperson Tiffaney Hardy could not say if Smith would face disciplinary action, as the internal investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Related: Who was Kyle Plush? Community remembers teen crushed to death by van seat

According to internal review documents, WCPO reported, 911 operators' computers had trouble around the time of Plush's call. Smith said she could not hear Plush during that call and that her computer screen froze. Investigators don't think there was a phone system failure during the call.

Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot Isaac spoke about the investigation at a news conference Thursday, saying, “We intend to do a comprehensive investigation and review of everything that occurred.”

About the Author