Smart Gadget Saves Woman

2024 Author: Steven Freeman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 08:15

There is no doubt that technology saves lives. Whether in medicine, transportation, etc., all fields benefit from the use of sophisticated systems. But in a violent attack in the town of Tijeras, New Mexico, a smart device literally helped save the life of a woman who was being attacked by her boyfriend.

The events occurred on July 2, when a man named Eduardo Barros heatedly argued with his partner, accusing her of infidelity after she received a text message on her mobile phone.

"[Barros] said he was going to kill her if he called the police," the arrest request and documentation prepared by the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office said, according to deputy spokeswoman Felicia Romero.

Following the threat, Romero asked the victim, "Did you call the sheriff yet?" The complaint said, so the smart speaker interpreted the subject's phrase as an order to "call the sheriff" and dialed the emergency service. 911.

According to Romero, 911 operators called the woman's cell phone back - although it was not clear how they obtained her number. Then Barros, enraged, threw the woman to the ground and began to kick her in the face and stomach, which he repeated up to 10 times, he assured in the report released by CNN.

However, spokesmen for the Amazon company explained to said chain that the mentioned speaker is not designed to make emergency calls, and that it is generally activated using the word "Alexa" before each instruction.

The sheriff's office explained that it is not yet clear which device made the 911 call, however, it was assured that in the recordings made to said service, someone is heard saying "Alexa, call 911".

Barros was arrested after the incident and now faces 14 criminal charges, including possession of a firearm and aggravated assault against a household member.