Transcript of Social Worker's Phone Calls Seeking Action

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D.C. police dispatcher: D.C. non-emergency 3-1-1. Dispatcher 501003. How may I assist you?

Lopes: Um, I've been transferred all over. I need someone to go out to a home where I believe abuse and neglect is occurring, and I don't want to be transferred to someone else. It's an urgent matter. CFSA is pretty much sitting on it, and I would like someone to go to the home and check out the home, 'cause I wasn't allowed in it.

Dispatcher: Okay. And where is this?

Lopes: This is in Southeast. Uh, I believe forty -- I can give you the address in one minute.

Dispatcher: Where were you just transferred from?

Lopes: Uh, I've called 3-1-1, which I was transferred to Youth Division, which I was transferred to CFSA, and then transferred back to 3-1-1.

Dispatcher: Oh, okay.

Lopes: And I called the actual district, also. They transferred me to 3-1-1.

Dispatcher: Okay.

Lopes: 4249 Sixth Street in Southeast.

Dispatcher: House or apartment?

Lopes: It's a house.

Dispatcher: All right. And who was abused?

Lopes: Our student, Brittany Jacks, hasn't been to school since March. I went to the home. The mother says she isn't allowing her to leave the house in fear she's going to run away. She would not allow us to speak to her. She's 16 years old. While there, I noticed there were two or three younger children between the ages of 6 and 9 who were home and being kept from school because the mother didn't want them to go to school as well. They've been withdrawn from the school system.

Dispatcher: All right. And you are?

Lopes: I'm the social worker at Booker T. Washington, where the eldest daughter used to attend. Um, I wasn't allow in the home, but from what I could see, the home did not appear clean, the children did not appear clean, and it seemed that the mother is suffering from some mental illness and what she's ... holding all of her children in the home hostage.

Dispatcher: All right. And you said 16-year-old?

Lopes: Yes. And there were, I saw at least two children from the ages of 6 to, I'll say, 9 or 10. And she doesn't want to send them to school.

Dispatcher: All right. And give me the 16-year-old's name again.

Lopes: Brittany Jacks. J-A-C-K-S. They are home. They will not answer the door immediately ... which is what [CFSA] is encountering. She didn't allow me even to see the older daughter.

Dispatcher: And she hasn't been to school since March.

Lopes: Early March. She was living with her aunt. Mom picked her up, and no one has seen her since. But mom says ...

Dispatcher: And the name of the school is Booker T. Washington?

Lopes: Public Charter School. And while I was there, I noticed the younger children were not in school as well, and she says she's withdrawn them because she doesn't want them going to school.

Dispatcher: And your name, ma'am?

Lopes: Kathy Lopes. L-O-P-E-S. This was on Friday, and it hasn't been officially followed up on. I am extremely concerned.

Dispatcher: Phone number?

Lopes: 202-232-6090, Extension one-seven.

Dispatcher: 6090?

Lopes: Um-hmm.

Dispatcher: Extension one-seven?

Lopes: Um-hmm.

Dispatcher: All right. We'll have the next available unit respond to 4249 the number Sixth Street Southeast. Correct?

Lopes: Yes. Is there any possibility that I could get a follow-up?

Dispatcher: Um, you can call back.

Lopes: Okay.