ROAD ACCIDENT – A 25-year-old 999 operator learned her brother had died in a suspected hit-and-run when one of her colleagues took an emergency call.
It Was a Black June For Her
Abi Lloyd Roberts on the night of June 2 2023 was working a shift answering 999 calls.
On the same night, her brother, 19-year-old Joshua Lloyd Roberts, had messaged Ms Lloyd Roberts to say he was walking home on the A4085, Ffordd Waunfawr, Caeathro near Caernarfon.
How The Emergency Call Went
Around 11pm, one of Ms Lloyd Roberts’ colleague received a call to report a collusion on the same road. Concerned by what she was hearing, she asked her colleague for more detail who said that a man aged between 19 and 20 has been hit and killed on the road.
Upon hearing this worrying information, Ms Lloyd Roberts said: ‘My heart sank. Because about two hours earlier Josh was texting me saying, “I’m walking home” [on the A4085].’
She Tried to Reach His Brother
Although she did not know the victim was her brother, after failing to get hold of her brother over the phone, Ms Lloyd Roberts says she ‘knew’ something was wrong and left work early.
Her Suspicions Are Confirmed
Once she arrived home the family received confirmation from the police that the victim was Josh.
Ms Lloyd Roberts said: ‘I’ve never screamed so much in my life. Because I knew it was Josh, I just needed someone to confirm it was him.’
ITV News reports that, since Josh’s death, Ms Lloyd Roberts has been offered psychological help by her workplace, but eight months after losing her brother, she has decided to leave the ambulance service and is now working elsewhere.
Her Emotional Outburst
She said: ‘I feel like I’m stuck in time, I’m not going back to my work, I have PTSD, I’m afraid that something like that is going to happen again.’
Josh was a student at Cardiff Metropolitan University and played football his university team, Bontnewydd and Caernarfon Town.
His sister said: ‘He loved Everton. Football was his religion so to speak.
‘I really miss him. I wake up every morning and hope it’s not true. I look at my phone every morning and see his picture and then I remember. It’s horrible, I miss him so much.
‘He’ll be 19 forever.’
