Kyle Plush
Plush prior to his death
Born	(2001-09-30)September 30, 2001
Died	April 10, 2018(2018-04-10) (aged 16) Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
Cause of death	Asphyxia due to chest compression
Education	Seven Hills School
Known for	Death following entrapment in a 2004 Honda Odyssey seat and failures in emergency response
Website	Kyle Plush Answer The Call Foundation

On April 10, 2018, Kyle Jacob Plush, a 16‑year‑old student at Seven Hills School in Cincinnati, Ohio, died after becoming trapped in the rear compartment of his family's 2004 Honda Odyssey, which was parked in the school's lot. While pinned inside the vehicle, he placed two 911 calls reporting that he could not free himself and providing information intended to help responders locate him. Officers were dispatched to the school but did not find the van, and Plush was later discovered by his father. His death, ruled accidental and caused by asphyxia from chest compression, prompted widespread scrutiny of the city's emergency communications system, a review of police and dispatcher actions, and the creation of a nonprofit foundation established by his family to support improvements in 911 services.

Kyle Jacob Plush was born on September 30, 2001, to Jill and Ron Plush, and had a younger sister.^[1] At four months old, he suffered a serious medical complication when a routine procedure led to internal bleeding around his spinal cord. The resulting pressure caused temporary paralysis and required urgent surgery. Although he recovered, the injury left him with lasting physical challenges. He spent several months in a full body cast, continued to receive physical and occupational therapy throughout his childhood, and wore a back brace to maintain spinal alignment. He also had limited use of his right hand. His ongoing care included regular trips to a specialist clinic in Minnesota for adjustments to the brace.^[2]

Plush remained active and pursued a wide range of interests. He enjoyed building projects, participated in several sports, and skied at a nearby resort. He was involved in the Boy Scouts and was working toward the rank of Eagle Scout. Plush attended Mercy Montessori School before transferring to Seven Hills School.^[2]

On the afternoon of April 10, 2018, Plush walked to his family's 2004 Honda Odyssey, which was parked in the lot of the Seven Hills School campus, to retrieve equipment for a scheduled tennis match. He placed one knee on the third‑row bench seat and leaned forward into the rear cargo well, and the seat suddenly folded backward. The movement, combined with the weight of the seat, pinned him upside down with his upper body in the rear well and his legs raised against the back door, preventing him from freeing himself or exiting the vehicle.^[2]

At 3:14 p.m., Plush used Siri, Apple's voice‑activated assistant, to call 911, as his mobile phone was in his pocket and out of reach. He reported that he was pinned inside the van and unable to escape, identified the vehicle, and stated that it was located in the parking lot of Seven Hills School. During the call, he said, "Help. I am stuck in the van… I am in desperate need of help… I am going to die soon." The call disconnected, and the dispatcher attempted to call him back. Although the dispatcher obtained his first name, the information was not relayed to responding officers. The call was entered into the computer‑aided dispatch system seven minutes later as "unknown trouble," a classification that did not automatically involve fire‑rescue units.^[2]

Two Cincinnati Police Department officers were dispatched to the school at 3:26 p.m. They drove into the parking lot from its southern side and stayed on the property for about 11 minutes. The officers did not get out of their patrol car, did not check the northern section of the lot where the van was located, and did not enter the address into their in‑car mapping system or their mobile phones. Body‑camera footage later recorded one officer remarking that the call was probably unfounded.^[2]

At 3:34 p.m., while officers were still on the school grounds, Plush placed a second 911 call. The call‑taker activated the TTY system used for deaf or hard‑of‑hearing callers, and when no response appeared through that interface, the call was not switched back to standard voice mode. Plush stated, "This is not a joke… I'm trapped inside my gold Honda Odyssey… I'm almost dead," and again identified the location as the Seven Hills parking lot. The dispatcher did not create a second CAD entry or notify the officers already at the school that the same caller had made another emergency call.^[2]

That evening, after Plush did not return home, his father went to the school to look for him. Using location data from the family's Life360 app, he searched the grounds and located the van in the parking lot. One of the doors was unlocked, and inside he noticed Plush's tennis racquet and backpack but did not immediately see him. After checking the rear area of the vehicle, he discovered Plush pinned beneath the bench seat that had folded down. He lifted the seat to free him and performed CPR until emergency responders arrived, but Plush was pronounced dead at the scene.^[2]

Plush's funeral was held on April 16 at St. Rose Church in Cincinnati.^[3] In the days before the service, the family received significant public support. Large numbers of people attended the visitation, and the line extended from the funeral home into a nearby parking lot. Many condolence messages described Plush as compassionate, enthusiastic, and well‑liked. Several mourners recalled his kindness toward others, including a parent who noted his considerate treatment of her daughter with special needs.^[2]

The Hamilton County Coroner determined that Plush died from "asphyxia caused by chest compression", and ruled the death accidental.^[4]

Honda issued a statement to People on April 13 expressing condolences to the family and saying the company did not yet have enough information to determine what occurred. A spokesperson said, "Our hearts go out to the victim's family during this difficult time," and noted that there were no seat‑related recalls affecting the Odyssey model involved. The company also pointed out that a separate recall announced the previous year applied only to 2011–2017 vehicles, in which second‑row seats could tip forward if not properly latched.^[5]

A month after Plush's funeral, his mother traveled to Knoxville, Tennessee, to visit a longtime friend. During the trip, they learned that the National Emergency Number Association was holding its annual conference in Nashville that same week and decided to attend. The experience led to the creation of the Kyle Plush Answer the Call (KPATC) Foundation. The organization was formed shortly afterward to support emergency communications personnel and to promote improvements within the 911 system. Its activities include delivering encouragement to dispatch centers, presenting "Challenge Coin" awards to recognize notable performance, and giving educational presentations across the United States.^[2] Dispatchers have reported that the organization's presentations influenced how they approach calls that are difficult to hear or interpret. Friends also contributed to the foundation's work, including producing educational videos on effective mobile‑phone use during emergencies. Plush's parents have stated that they take comfort in the belief that the reforms and outreach efforts connected to the case may help prevent similar incidents.

In November 2018, the Cincinnati Police Department released an internal review stating that officers and emergency call‑takers had followed existing procedures. Plush's parents disagreed with the conclusion and continued seeking information about the handling of the emergency calls.^[2] They determined that legal action was necessary to obtain detailed records and to push for improvements to the city's emergency‑communications system, and they hired Cincinnati civil‑rights attorney Al Gerhardstein to represent them. On August 12, 2019, the family filed a wrongful‑death lawsuit against the City of Cincinnati. The case ended in 2021 with a $6 million settlement. As part of the agreement, a panel of 911 specialists from across the country was appointed to oversee and advise the city's Emergency Communications Center. The group releases public reports every six months addressing training, technology, quality‑assurance procedures, and adherence to established protocols.^[2]

City officials reported that several improvements have been made since the incident, including hiring additional call‑takers and dispatchers, adding full‑time quality‑assurance staff, and upgrading the backup call center where the emergency calls had been answered. The facility received new equipment and acoustic improvements to address communication issues identified after the event.^[2]

• List of unusual deaths in the 21st century