A New Orleans 911 operator is facing arrest after she deliberately disconnected emergency calls without alerting other dispatchers, authorities say.
Precious Stephens, 25, was fired from her position and is at large as of Thursday, as she potentially faces a count of malfeasance in office, after she reportedly didn’t obtain necessary information during the calls, The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate reports.
Stephens, who worked for the Orleans Parish Communication District, was reported to police by the district on Aug. 24, after it conducted an investigation into her calls on Aug. 20 and Aug. 21. Stephens was identified to be dropping the calls, as identified by internal protocols.
“[The district] has and will continue to cooperate with the … investigation into this matter and dedicated to providing any and all assistance to aid in [the] efforts,” a statement from the district read.
Malfeasance, defined by Louisiana law as unlawfully performing a job in public service, can result in up to five years in prison. Stephens whereabouts have not been reported since Thursday, days after Hurricane Ida hit the state. The storm left the whole city temporarily without power following “catastrophic transmission damage” on Aug. 29.
