In March 2005, Tia Hernlen, a 5-year-old from New Smyrna Beach, Florida, made headlines with a traumatizing telephonic conversation with 911 that shook the entire nation. While the incident dates back almost two decades, the unversed still search for the incident on the internet. Scroll to read more.
Who is Tia Hernlen?
Tia Hernlen was born in 2000 (age 25 years; as of 2025) in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, United States. Her father, Aeneas Hernlen (age 29 years; at the time of death), and mother, Julie Hernlen (age 31 years; at the time of death), were tragically murdered when Tia was only 5.
The Horrific Incident With Tia Hernlen
In the early hours of March 2005, David Edward Johnson, 33, who was a drug addict, broke into Tia’s house with her parents fast asleep. David opened fire on the couple. In the traumatizing incident, Julie Hernlen succumbed to her injuries on the spot, while Aeneas Hernlen passed away after battling for his life at Halifax Medical Center, Daytona Beach, Florida, United States.
Why Were Tia’s Parents Murdered?
The accused, David Edward Johnson, was reportedly mistaken that the couple, Julie and Aeneas, reported him to the cops for Growing Marijuana and possessing steroids. However, in reality, the couple did not have any involvement in reporting them.
Heart-Wrenching Call By Tia’
Following the 5-year-old, Tia woke up with the sound of gunshots. She went to her parents’ room only to see that they were lying in a pool of blood. Soon after, she called 911 and calmly described the incident to the operator, saying, “My mommy and daddy … there is blood coming out of my dad’s mouth, and he fell off the bed.”
Volusia County Sheriff Ben Johnson said, “I don’t know quite how to characterize what you hear in that 5-year-old’s voice. Her composure is extraordinary, given what she had just seen. She was an amazing little girl. The information she gave us and the manner she gave it to us, we wish we could get that out of adults.”
In the call, Tia stated that she has a dog named Liza, and told her age. The dispatcher spoke to her while spending time, and sent authorities to her home.
On Monday, Johnson committed suicide at his home later on Monday.
On 30 June 2005, Donna Choufani, the dispatcher who attended Tia’s call, was awarded the Hero Everyday Award. The NENA honors ‘everyday heroes’ who described the incident,
When five-year-old Tia Hernlen dialed 911 because her mother and father had been fatally wounded in their bedroom, the call reached Donna Choufani, a dispatcher with the Volusia County, Fla., Sheriff’s Department near Daytona Beach. A portion of this call was played for attendees. Choufani skillfully kept Tia on the line and methodically asked a series of questions to determine whether intruders were in the home and whether the child was in imminent danger. She kept Tia calm until a sheriff’s officer arrived at the front door and convinced her that it was OK to open the door for the officer.
Tia’s Parents Initially Seek Help
While Tia’s parents did not raise a complaint about David Edward Johnson, they did seek help from the police and even predicted that Johnson would kill them. However, no assistance was provided by the cops.
Community Support
Following the incident, a trust fund was established for Tia Hernlen to raise financial support. A media source reported the incident, “A trust fund has been established for Tia Hernlen, the 5-year-old who called 911 after an accused stalker shot her parents three days ago in the family’s home.”
Where is Tia Hernlen now?
In 2005, after the traumatizing incident, Tia moved in with her grandparents. Her grandfather, Richard Morgan, is a retired Sergeant from the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Department, and her grandmother, Nancy Gerow-Morgan, was a homemaker.
In 2006, an update was shared via the news where several area law enforcement agencies and fire departments participated in a softball tournament, wherein the entire fund was transferred to Tia’s Trust Fund.
Her grandfather spoke about the support and said, “It feels good having all the support from surrounding fire companies and law enforcement agencies, and knowing that the profits from today go into Tia’s trust fund.”
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