Slain teen's parents want faster response from cell phone companies
10:57 a.m. Wednesday, September 24, 2008
The parents of murdered Overland Park teenager Kelsey Smith say they want a new law to force cell phone companies to respond more quickly to requests from police.
Greg and Missey Smith -- and Johnson County District Attorney Phill Kline -- say Verizon Wireless could have acted faster to track the pings that finally led police to the girl's body June 6, 2007, four days after the girl was abducted and killed.
A ping is a signal sent out by cell phones. It can locate what tower the cell phone is closest to and is used by law enforcement often.
Kline said Tuesday that the day after Smith disappeared, he had a subpoena to obtain a map from Verizon showing where Smith's cell phone was by tracking pings to its towers, but it took more than two days for investigators to get the map from Verizon.
The Smiths say a quicker response would not have saved their daughter, but they want a tougher law that could save others.
Idwin Hall will spend life in prison for Kelsey's murder.
Read more on Kelsey's parents campaign to change the law here.
Kelsey Smith
- Police await autopsy results in Kelsey Smith murder (June 9, 2007)
- Man accused in death of Overland Park teen former Emporian (June 8, 2007)
- MySpace page links bizarre references with Kelsey Smith's accused killer (June 8, 2007)
- DA: Kelsey Smith was strangled (text only) (June 8, 2007)
- Man accused of Kelsey Smith's murder makes first court appearance (June 7, 2007)
- Prayer vigil held for slain Overland Park teen (June 6, 2007)
- Police say body found near KC during search is missing Overland Park teen (June 6, 2007)
Comments
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Sep. 24, 2008 at 1:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)parkay (anonymous)
I want to know why Verizon dragged their feet in providing phone information after 4 days that should have been provided within 2 hours for a kidnapping investigation, while the young victim's body lay undiscovered, until less than an hour after the phone information was turned over.
This inflicted needless additional suffering on the surviving family and friends. This is inexcusable.
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