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If you encountered someone in distress, would you lend a hand? It's a question we hope none of you ever need to answer. Although many of us like to think we'd help, and expect the same from strangers, that isn’t always the reality. Here are 10 cases where people, for one reason or another, decided not to assist...
10. Rescue A Drowning Child
When 10-year-old Jordon Lyon witnessed his younger sister, Bethany, fall into a canal in Manchester, England, he immediately jumped into the water to save her. Unfortunately, Jordon's bravery was no match for his small frame, and he quickly became submerged. His family urgently sought help, eventually finding two passing police community support officers (PCSOs)—volunteer officers who are enthusiastic about assisting the community. However, when the officers arrived and were briefed about the situation, they calmly informed the family that it was too risky and they would need to call for police backup, wasting precious minutes Jordon didn’t have. When questioned later about why they didn’t jump in to help, the PCSOs explained that they were “not trained for the situation.” Meanwhile, two civilians had already jumped in and saved Bethany before the police officers arrived to rescue Jordon. Tragically, although the officers managed to pull Jordon out, they were unable to revive him. While the PCSOs were not held accountable in court for their actions, their reluctance to act was condemned by the chairman of the Manchester Police Federation, who remarked, “People jump into rivers and ponds every day to save others because it’s the right thing to do.” That had to sting.
9. Administer Lifesaving Medication to a Dying Girl
When 14-year-old Emma Sloan, who had a severe nut allergy, accidentally consumed peanut-based satay sauce during a Christmas meal with her family, she didn't realize the danger until her throat began to close. As Emma and her family rushed out of the restaurant to seek help, Emma’s condition worsened and it became clear she needed urgent care. Sadly, neither Emma nor her family had an EpiPen—an injection of pure adrenaline that can quickly reverse the effects of anaphylactic shock—on hand. While an ambulance was called, Emma’s mother hurried her to a nearby pharmacy and explained the situation, asking the cashier for an EpiPen. However, they happened upon a cashier who strictly adhered to the law—too strictly. He refused to provide the EpiPen, stating that he couldn’t give anything without a prescription. Even when Emma collapsed, the cashier stood firm, advising the family to take her to the ER when he could have saved her right then and there. When medical professionals arrived minutes later, it was too late, and Emma tragically passed away. Some have defended the cashier's actions, arguing that he couldn't know if the EpiPen might cause harm and feared legal consequences. However, an EpiPen is unlikely to harm a person if administered unnecessarily, and many would agree that being sued pales in comparison to losing a life.
8. Save a Drowning Man (Who Had Just Saved Them)
When people risk their lives to save others, it’s typically because it’s the right thing to do, not because they expect anything in return. So, you don’t necessarily owe them anything. However, if someone does save your life, it’s only decent to stick around and make sure they’re okay—or at least express your gratitude. Unfortunately, Deng Jinjie didn’t get that opportunity after saving an entire family from drowning. Deng was walking his dog along the Sunshui River when he saw a family struggling to stay afloat. They were trying to rescue their young daughter, who had drifted into dangerous waters, and quickly found themselves in danger as well. With no help around, Deng made the courageous decision to jump in and assist, accompanied by two other bystanders.
After the family was brought to safety, Deng himself began to struggle and was soon swept into nearby rapids. Without sparing a thought for the man who had just saved them, the family started packing up to leave. When the other rescuers tried to stop them, the family simply said the situation “had nothing to do with them” before disappearing amid the frantic search for Deng. Deng’s body was later found in the water. The family eventually apologized when they learned that the man who saved them had died—but apparently, that apology didn’t make it any better.
7. Carry A Dying Girl (Due to Back Issues)
When 14-year-old Shannon Powell collapsed from a violent seizure during a cross-country race in the UK, her family initially thought she was in good hands, given the large staff present at the event. But it quickly became evident that no one truly knew what to do. Instead of calling for an ambulance right away, a race assistant called for first aid to assess the situation. It wasn’t until after the first aid team arrived and realized the severity of the situation that they called for an ambulance—and that’s when the real trouble began. The ambulance crew had difficulty even getting to the track because the gates had been inexplicably locked by the event organizers, who assumed that paramedics would have the keys. They also had trouble locating Shannon’s lifeless body because no one had told them where she was. She had been left in the cold mud with a coat over her face for an hour. When the paramedics finally reached her, Shannon’s ordeal wasn’t over. The paramedic on the scene refused to lift Shannon from the ground due to “health and safety” concerns—specifically, because of a bad back. Shannon later died after more bungled attempts to help, including a second ambulance being called by the first team. Astonishingly, before dispatching the second ambulance for the dying girl, the operator first asked if the crew had a taxi number.
6. Hand A Fire Extinguisher To A Man Whose Car Is On Fire
One morning, while driving to work, British teenager Don Connell noticed smoke coming from his engine. Realizing that this was a serious problem that needed attention, Connell immediately stopped the car, called emergency services, and rushed into a nearby store for help. Inside, Connell asked the cashier if he could borrow a fire extinguisher to try to stop the fire before it spread. Instead of handing over the extinguisher, the cashier refused and continued with his work. The cashier later explained that the refusal was due to concerns about Connell’s safety and the potential liability for the store, but Connell has a different version. He insists that the real reason was that replacing the extinguisher would be too costly. As a trained mechanic, Connell believed he could have easily contained the fire and repaired the car. Instead, he had to watch as the fire destroyed his car, his clothing, and even his college coursework that had been stored in the vehicle.
5. Rescue A Man Trapped In A Ditch
Michael Thornton was riding in a car with friends when the intoxicated driver swerved, sending the vehicle into a water-filled roadside ditch. The driver managed to escape, rescue another passenger, and run to a nearby house to call for help. Unfortunately, Thornton was left behind. When emergency responders arrived, the ambulance crew chose not to wade into the “shoulder-high” water to rescue Thornton, though they had no hesitation treating the other two men who were no longer trapped under water.
However, Officer Leslie Day didn’t hesitate to jump into the water upon arrival. He immediately pulled Thornton out, but tragically, despite all efforts to revive him, Thornton was later declared dead. The coroner criticized the paramedics for not taking action but commended Officer Day for his swift and courageous decision to save Thornton.
4. Enter A Shallow Lake To Save A Dying Man
Simon Burgess, an Englishman, was reportedly feeding swans when he suddenly suffered a seizure that caused him to lose his balance and fall into a lake just about one meter (3 feet) deep. In a cruel twist of fate, Burgess fell face-first, rendering him unconscious and unable to recover on his own.
Onlookers quickly notified the authorities when they spotted a body floating in the lake, urging the firefighting crew that arrived to save the man before it was too late. They emphasized that he had fallen in only 5–10 minutes ago and there might still be hope. The firefighters, to the bewilderment of the crowd, explained that they couldn’t enter the water to rescue Burgess because it was 'deeper than ankle height.' The woman who made the call was left incredulous, responding, 'You’re having a laugh.' As Burgess’s lifeless body drifted helplessly nearby, firefighters half-heartedly poked the water with a pole to test its depth. It wasn’t until 30 minutes later that a specialist water rescue team, trained to handle 'shallow swimming pool' incidents, arrived and removed him from the lake. Sadly, it was too late. The coroner later confirmed that had the firefighters acted immediately, Burgess could have survived.
3. Assist An Unconscious Woman (Because They Were On Break)
Eutisha Rennix, six months pregnant, collapsed while working at a coffee shop, only to fall in front of two emergency medical technicians who were eating their lunch nearby. Tragically, these two EMTs turned out to be some of the most negligent responders possible. Instead of rushing to help the pregnant woman, they told Rennix’s co-workers to call 911 and then casually walked away with their meals. Sadly, Eutisha and her unborn child passed away in the hospital. In many countries, the failure to help would have been a criminal offense under 'duty to rescue' laws, which state that those in a position to assist someone in danger must do so if they aren’t risking harm to themselves. However, the US lacks such a law, so the EMTs were legally in the clear. Ironically, one of them, Jason Green, did face his own fate—a year later, he was shot in the face.
2. Save Drowning Teens (For Free, At Least)
A group of students from Changjiang University in Hubei, China, witnessed two children struggling in a local river and, without hesitation, jumped in to save them. However, what should have been a heroic rescue quickly turned tragic when it was revealed that a nearby fishing boat, just a few meters away, had refused to help, despite being in close proximity to the drowning children.
Once the children were safely brought to shore, three of the students who had jumped into the river found themselves in danger. Exhausted from rescuing the children, their classmates pleaded with the nearby fishermen for assistance. The fishermen, however, refused, claiming that they relied on salvage for a living and would only help for a fee. They even refused to throw the students a life preserver, stating that it, too, would come at a cost. In the area, as drownings had become more frequent, recovering bodies had turned into a morbid but profitable business. To the fishermen, rescuing the students would have been a loss of potential earnings.
A few minutes after the students had exhausted themselves, they tragically drowned. It wasn’t until the families of the students arrived and a crowd gathered, pooling money together, that the fishermen were convinced to retrieve the students' bodies from the river.
1. Stop Picking Up Train Passengers (During One’s Heart Attack)
When 61-year-old James Allen suffered a heart attack on his morning commute aboard the Framingham–Boston train, passengers quickly sprang into action, offering the limited medical assistance they could muster with whatever resources they had. The train crew informed them that medical help would only be able to reach them at the next station, which was still several stops away. Fortunately, if the train could accelerate, Allen would have a good chance of survival.
Strangely, the conductor continued to follow the usual schedule, making the routine stops despite the ongoing medical emergency. Precious minutes were wasted as passengers were picked up and dropped off. By the time Allen finally received the help he so desperately needed, it was too late, and he was declared dead shortly thereafter.
The assistant conductor later justified this decision, arguing that bypassing the stops could have been dangerous. However, a spokesperson from CSX Transportation, the train's operating company, later stated that in this situation, an exception should—and could—have been made to prioritize saving Allen's life.
