Here's what we know and what we don't know about the death of Jolene Waldref, the woman who died at a Milwaukee bus stop

Sarah Volpenhein and Drake Bentley, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
·5 min read

A South Milwaukee woman's death raises questions about officials' response.

Jolene Waldref, 49, died from hypothermia earlier this month after she was found unresponsive at a bus stop on Milwaukee's northwest side, according to authorities.

Surveillance footage and 911 recordings provide some insight about the system's response to Waldref.

Here's what we know and what we don't know about her death.

Jolene Waldref called 911 and talked with dispatchers for two minutes

Waldref called 911 at 5:22 p.m. shortly before her death on Jan. 15. She was on the phone with dispatchers for about two minutes.

She told dispatchers she was on the corner of North 76th and West Congress streets waiting for the bus, and apparently asked for medical help.

The 911 call ends after dispatchers tell her an ambulance is on its way and advise her to rest and call back if anything changes.

The call was initially classified with lower prioritization, indicating less severity, so only the private Curtis Ambulance was dispatched to the call.

A dispatcher called Waldref back twice; both calls went to voicemail.

It is unclear why Jolene Waldref called 911

The Milwaukee Fire Department released a recording of the call that Waldref made to 911, but much of the call is redacted. The dispatcher asks Waldref what happened and she says, "I don't know." The dispatcher then asks why she called for medical help. None of Waldref's answer to the dispatcher was released by the fire department.

After asking for Waldref's age, the dispatcher then asks if her breathing is normal, whether she has a history of heart problems and whether she has any abdominal pain. Her answers to those three questions were not released.

In surveillance video obtained by the Journal Sentinel showing the incident, Waldref is seen standing at the northwest corner of North 76th and West Congress streets, near the bus stop. At one point, she appears to double over briefly. She sits down for less than a minute, then stands up. She appears to lean against a fence near the corner for three minutes before sitting back down and mostly disappearing from the camera's view.

Fire officials initially said nearby surveillance footage showed Waldref slipping on ice and hitting her head on a fence. The surveillance footage obtained by the Journal Sentinel from a nearby property owner does not appear to show a fall.

The private ambulance crew says they did not see Jolene Waldref and did not leave their truck to look for her

Among the surveillance footage are brief moments when a Curtis Ambulance travels through the intersection twice, just about 15 to 20 feet from Waldref as she lay on the sidewalk.

The Curtis Ambulance crew never leaves the truck. Assistant Fire Chief Josh Parish said earlier this week the crew did not know which intersection Waldref was on.

Call logs accessed by the Journal Sentinel include the exact latitude and longitude of Waldref's call, placing her at the northwest corner of the intersection. It's unclear if that information was provided to the crew.

James Baker, president of Curtis Ambulance, said at a news conference Tuesday of the crew, "They didn't do anything wrong. The EMS system here worked as designed."

Curtis Ambulance president James Baker discusses the investigation into the Jan. 15 death of of Jolene Waldref during a news conference at the Alonzo Robinson Milwaukee Fire Department Administration Building at 711 West Wells St. in Milwaukee on Tuesday.
Curtis Ambulance president James Baker discusses the investigation into the Jan. 15 death of of Jolene Waldref during a news conference at the Alonzo Robinson Milwaukee Fire Department Administration Building at 711 West Wells St. in Milwaukee on Tuesday.

More: Video, 911 call in Milwaukee bus stop death raise more questions about what happened

A driver passing by noticed Jolene Waldref on the ground, stopped to check on her and called 911

At about 5:34 p.m., as Waldref laid on the snow-covered sidewalk, a person approaches her, stops momentarily, and then continues walking.

About nine minutes after that person departs, a vehicle stops in the street and parks. A person exits the vehicle and approaches Waldref. That driver could then be seen making a call.

A dispatch report obtained by the Journal Sentinel shows a call was received at 5:43 p.m. This time, the call has a higher priority and paramedics from the Milwaukee Fire Department are sent to the scene.

At 5:52 p.m., paramedics arrive and attempt to revive Waldref but were unsuccessful.

Public officials expressed outrage and frustration

Ald. Mark Borkowski, who is the chair of the city’s Ambulance Service Board, blasted the crew's actions.

“I just think that it’s pathetic that we didn’t make the effort to get out of the vehicle,” he said. “What was the cost as far as time? A minute or two max? Really?

“I don’t believe it worked the way it was supposed to. It doesn’t seem like much of an effort was made," he said.

Fire Chief Aaron Lipski expressed his frustration at a news conference Tuesday.

Milwaukee Fire Chief Aaron Lipski discusses the investigation into the Jan. 15 death of of Jolene Waldref during a press conference at the Alonzo Robinson Milwaukee Fire Department Administration Building at 711 West Wells St. in Milwaukee on Tuesday. Waldref was found dead near a busy city bus stop in subzero temperatures after 911 call-takers received a call from a person in medical distress.

"We’re telling you everything we know. We have nothing to hide," Lipski said. "This is an absolutely horrible situation. The only thing we can offer at the end of it is the accurate information, and that’s what we’re trying to do here. We are deeply, deeply saddened by this loss. We are as frustrated as you are."

Mayor Cavalier Johnson offered his condolences to Waldref's family and said if a review is needed the Fire Department and the Fire and Police Commission will undertake that effort.

Jolene Waldref was a mother to two daughters

Waldref was leaving her job as a receptionist at a home health care agency when she died. She lived in South Milwaukee.

Jolene Waldref, 49, of South Milwaukee died Jan. 15 after investigators say she slipped and fell on ice at a bus stop in Milwaukee. In subzero temperatures, she likely died of hypothermia, the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner said.
Jolene Waldref, 49, of South Milwaukee died Jan. 15 after investigators say she slipped and fell on ice at a bus stop in Milwaukee. In subzero temperatures, she likely died of hypothermia, the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner said.

She is survived by two daughters, ages 14 and 21. Messages to family were not immediately returned Wednesday.

Waldref also had been the caregiver for her longtime partner, Kevin, who died about six months ago. A GoFundMe for her daughters has raised nearly $20,000.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Here's what we know about the bus stop death in Milwaukee