Albuquerque, NM– Some impressive initiative and courage from a little boy. From Boy’s 911 call leads to mother’s arrest (KOB News 4, 9/5/08):
Genevive Sullivan had two DWI convictions already when her son says he was forced to start her car’s Interlock device An Albuquerque boy is being lauded for his bravery after reporting his own mother to authorities.
On August 22, a 911 operator received a phone call from the 11-year-old. He told the operator he feared going to school with his mom. He said his mother was forcing him to blow into her car”s Interlock device to get the car started because she had been drinking all night. The boy said he was also afraid of getting caught making the call by his mother, Genevive Sullivan. She has two DWI convictions. “I don”t want her to come and see me talking to you,’ he told the operator. The 911 operator then asks the boy when he was last forced to blow into the interlock. “Just right now,’ he replied. Police arrived at Sullivan”s home 25 minutes later–after she took her son to school. An arrest warrant was put out for Sullivan a day later, while the boy stayed with his grandmother, Rhonda Byrum. But Byrum said Sullivan was allowed to take her son to school the following Monday. She says Child Protective Services never sought her daughter”s arrest. One was finally made Wednesday when Sullivan admitted to her probation officer she had been drinking. Byrum said her grandson is one of the bravest people she knows for making the phone call. “To stand up and be able to call and tell the truth–he”s honest and he did the right thing,’ she said. “The child was trying to do the right thing and the adult wasn”t,’ APD spokesman John Walsh said. “That is just an amazing testament to the child”s character.’ A CYFD spokesperson says there are three priority levels for child endangerment. This case was given the lowest priority, which calls for a response from CYFD within five days. CYFD didn”t offer any other information on the case.