“We were just trying to figure out where he was going and if he was okay. We thought he was going to die” Brooke Bellos said.
Those words now sit at the center of a growing controversy surrounding the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, where an April 1 mental health crisis call has led to internal discipline, public backlash, and an ongoing outside investigation.
The incident began as a plea for help.
According to family accounts, Bellos and other relatives first contacted authorities out of concern for Donald Bellos, who they believed was suicidal and possibly under the influence of drugs. They had secured a 96 hour hold through Jackson County and were attempting to get assistance before the situation escalated.
Instead, the family says they were told no action would be taken at that time. Hours later, their fears became reality.
After returning to his camper, family members found Bellos going in and out of consciousness. They called 911 again and, fearing delays in emergency response, transported him themselves to meet responders at a nearby location.
What followed inside the ambulance is now under intense scrutiny.
According to official reports written by members of the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, Bellos became combative as emergency medical personnel attempted to treat him. Deputy Jacob Sebren stated he deployed his taser multiple times and attempted to strike Bellos in an effort to gain control and allow medical staff to continue treatment.
However, a supplemental report from Detective Hope Hearn written weeks later paints a more complicated picture. Hearn confirmed that Sebren struck Bellos and wrote that she believed the action was unjustified, telling him to stop. She also noted that Sebren continued to use his taser multiple times during the encounter.
Video from the scene, which has circulated publicly, appears to show Bellos disoriented and confused, repeatedly asking what was happening while restrained on a stretcher. During the encounter, one deputy can be heard saying, “This is why I don’t go to suicidals,” a statement the family says was repeated throughout the incident.
Outside the ambulance, the family says they were given little information and were ultimately told Bellos would be taken to jail for assaulting an officer. They were ordered to leave and threatened with arrest if they did not comply.
“We just wanted to know where he was going” Bellos said. “We thought he was going to die.”
Despite those statements, Bellos was transported to Golden Valley Memorial Healthcare in Clinton, where he was treated for several days. No charges were ultimately filed against him.
In the days that followed, the sheriff’s office launched an internal investigation.
Sheriff Eric Knox confirmed that one deputy, Jacob Sebren, is no longer employed with the department, while Detective Hope Hearn has been placed on administrative suspension. The case has also been referred to both a local prosecutor and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for independent review.
“The conduct observed in this incident does not reflect the standards, training, or expectations of the Benton County Sheriff’s Office” Knox said in a written statement.
For the Bellos family, the aftermath has been both emotional and lasting.
Brooke Bellos described the experience as traumatic, saying the family felt dismissed and dehumanized during what they believed was a life or death situation. She said her father, who survived the incident, is now receiving treatment and working toward recovery.
“You’re taught to call 911 for help. We just wanted someone to help him” she said.
