Two NYPD officers have been suspended after the tragic death of a 22-year-old mother. They were not directly responsible for her death, but because of their potential negligence, an investigation has been opened into the actions of the officers.
Last Wednesday, Toni Well's neighbors called the police after they heard Toni screaming, "Help me, he's going to kill me," while she was arguing with her husband, 29-year-old Barry Wells. Neighbors witnessed a police car roll up on the scene, but neither of the officers exited the vehicle in order to check on the situation.
The police received a second phone call from Toni's neighbors after they heard her young daughter incessantly crying next door. When cops arrived on the scene they found Toni dead at the bottom of a stairwell with bruising around her neck, and her two-year-old daughter crying nearby. Toni was declared dead at the scene, but the child was not physically hurt.
"According to "preliminary reports I received, they did not exit the vehicle and that's troubling," said the Brooklyn borough president, Eric Adams.
Toni's husband, Barry Wells, has been taken into custody with charges pending on the results of an autopsy. Barry was already out free on bail for chocking Toni this past September.
Questions are being raised as to why police didn't investigate the initial call, especially considering the previous charges are still ongoing against Barry Wells? An investigation into the two initial responding officers is ongoing as per a statement from Police Commissioner James O'Neil.
"I talk about my pride in the NYPD each and every day," O'Neill said. "If, unfortunately, there are times that we don't live up to that standard, it's up to us to make sure that we fully investigate that. And if discipline needs to be dealt out, we'll do that."
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