Sgt. Andy Hill of the PHX PD just released the following statement regarding the transcripts of phone calls made by Noah Gotbaum concerning his spouse Carol Anne Gotbaum. This was a mass e-mail sent out by Hill. I'm guessing the article on the front page of the Arizona Republic, which suggested the calls might have come prior to Carol Gotbaum's death, triggered this communication from Hill. I admit my conclusions after reading the report were similar to those of the Republic and other outlets.
If this new information is correct, you've got to wonder why it took so long for the cops to inform Noah Gotbaum of his wife's demise. His desperate attempts to contact the authorities and discover what had happened to his wife now seem even more heart-rending. Well, at least to those of us with compassion. I've noted a distinct strain of anti-Semitism, and sometimes just plain meanness of spirit in the comments to these posts on Gotbaum. People can be real assholes, unless something like this happens to them. Then they're singin' a different tune. Subject: PHONE CALLS TO SKY HARBOR AIRPORT COMMUNICATIONS CENTER RELATED TO THE DEATH OF MS. CAROL ANNE GOTBAUM - 10/05/07
All:
Information has been reported in some media outlets today that intimated that Mr. Noah Gotbaum called the Airport Communications Center concerning Ms. Carol Anne Gotbaum prior to the police arrest of Ms. Gotbaum and prior to her death. This is not true. Ms. Carol Anne Gotbaum, in a tragedy still under investigation, died prior to any call being made by Mr. Noah Gotbaum to the Airport Communications Center and prior to the Phoenix Police Department Airport officers having any information about her.
As previously stated in emails and the press briefing, the Phoenix Police Department did not have any knowledge of calls to the Airport Communications Center concerning Ms. Carol Anne Gotbaum and had no information about her personal issues prior to her arrest and death.
Phoenix Police investigators have determined that there were no calls made to the City of Phoenix Airport Communications Center prior to the tragic series of incidents that occurred. Investigators requested, received, and reviewed all recorded phone calls made to the Airport Communications Center from 12 P.M. on the day of the incident until the first call at 4:39 P.M. from Mr. Noah Gotbaum.
Ms. Carol Anne Gotbaum was pronounced dead by the Phoenix Fire Department at 3:29 P.M. The first call from Mr. Noah Gotbaum to the Airport Communications Center came in at 4:39 P.M. There were other calls made after 4:39 P.M. by Mr. Noah Gotbaum.
That is all the information that can be confirmed for release until next week. Please correct any stories, headlines, or on line information that had incorrect information.
Thank you, Andy
