Hartford Family Questions Response to 911 Call

The parents of a Hartford teen want to know why it took police nearly an hour and a half to show up to their home after their teenage daughter was followed home and called for help.

"I've never been so scared in my life. I thought the police would be here fast," said Jannellie Roldan.

The 17-year-old says she was walking to her Hartford home after being dropped off by the bus Wednesday afternoon when she noticed an older teen boy walking on a nearby street whom she didn't know.

Roldan says he made his move when she went inside her house.

"Once I was done locking the door he ran to my door and was peeking inside and was trying to open my door," said Roldan.

Roldan was home alone and called her parents. They told her to dial 911.

She did, and told the dispatcher that someone follower her home and that the stranger was now looking in her windows.

At one point during the call, she told dispatch she was trying to hide in the kitchen.

The call lasted less than two minutes and ended with the teen being told help was on the way, but Roldan says time passed and no one arrived.

Her mom, Wilmary Mercado, says she called 911 twice herself, and officers came nearly an hour and a half after that first call.

"When the officer arrived here the officer told me it was a change of shift, so my daughter's case was put on hold," said Mercado.

Police told NBC Connecticut that during the time of the call they were dealing with a big carjacking, chase and crash.

When we reached out to Hartford Police Emergency Services, the operations manager said he was unaware of the incident but would look into it, adding that if there was a problem, it would be dealt with.

Mercado says her daughter is afraid to stay home alone and worries about the next time she'll need to call 911.

"Right now they don't even feel safe. They feel they have no one to call when there's an emergency," said Mercado.

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