Below is a transcript of a 911 recording of Catherine Piedad calling the Newton Police from her basement bedroom because her employer was holding her passport and allegedly not letting her leave the house on her only day off.
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Police Dispatcher:
911, this call is recorded. What is the address of your emergency?
Dispatcher:
What’s the address to your emergency?
Catherine:
I just want advice about my situation here.
Dispatcher:
What’s the address of your emergency?
(Address bleeped out)
Dispatcher:
OK and tell me exactly what happened.
Catherine:
Um, my employer hold my passport. And I’m not able to go out on my day off. And now they are not giving my salary and I have a conversation with my boss today, earlier, and they said to me that they’re gonna send me back to Philippines. Tonight. They buy the ticket for my salary. I just want to know what I’m gonna do, because I already report this in the human trafficking. I’m waiting for the law enforces maybe knocking [at] the door.
Dispatcher:
OK what’s your name?
Catherine:
Catherine Piedad.
Catherine:
Catherine Piedad.
Dispatcher:
Can you spell that for me?
Catherine:
C-A-T-H-E-R-I-N-E P-I-E-D-A-D
Dispatcher:
OK and are you at this address right now?
Catherine:
Yes, I am in my room.
Dispatcher:
OK just hold on one moment, OK?
Dispatcher:
Are you locked in your room?
Catherine:
Yeah – No, I stay in my room because I tell that if they are not give my passport and my salary then I’m not gonna go into work. And they said to me they send me back now in Philippines tonight.
Dispatcher:
OK just hold on one moment, OK?
Dispatcher:
Just stay on the phone with me.
Police officers arrived at the house minutes later. At the officers' request, the employers returned Catherine's passport to her and paid her the money they owed her. Catherine put her clothes in trash bags and called a taxi to leave for good.