A UK woman has stated that her iPhone’s Siri voice assistant saved her life after connecting her to the police during a violent attack.
Emma-Louise Kelly recently recounted how her ex-partner physically as*aulted her after a night out, leaving her fearing she might not survive.
She was able to call emergency services using Siri, allowing officers to reach her in time. The attacker later pleaded guilty and received a prison sentence.
Highlights
- A UK mother credited Apple’s Siri with connecting her to police during a violent a*sault.
- She recalled shouting out “in sheer desperation” while thinking of her daughter.
- Her ex-partner was sentenced to more than nine years following the attack.
Trigger warning: The article has mentions of domestic violence and s*xual a*use. Reader discretion is advised.
She noticed warning signs before the night turned violent
Image credits: Emma-Louise Kelly New/Facebook
During a segment on Good Morning Britain, Emma-Louise admitted that there had been “red flags” in the relationship leading up to the attack.
She described her partner as increasingly jealous and controlling, particularly about what she wore and how she interacted with others.
Speaking to presenters Ed Balls and Kate Garraway, she recalled how the mood shifted suddenly on New Year’s Eve after they met friends, according to a report from Unilad.
Image credits: omid armin/Unsplash (Not the actual photo)
“He went home to take the car, and we went to meet some friends for some drinks, and when he came back from that, he was just different,” she said.
“He was getting possessive and jealous about other people that were saying ‘Happy New Year.’ He wasn’t happy with any of it.”
That tension escalated when they returned home separately. Emma-Louise said the confrontation quickly turned violent.
Image credits: Good Morning Britain
“I walked in and he just started to attack me verbally and then it became violent. He was punching me, kicking me, strangling me until I passed out. S*xual a*sault followed after that and it was horrific,” she said.
Garraway asked if she thought she might lose her life that night.
Emma-Louise replied, “Yeah, I knew that I needed help. I didn’t know how I was gonna get that help because it was just relentless and I kept passing out, and all I could think about was my little girl and making sure that I was OK for her.”
A desperate call to Siri connected her to police
Image credits: Good Morning Britain
In the middle of the attack, Emma-Louise relied on a habit she often used in everyday life.
“I shouted to my phone. I use it a lot when I’m busy, when I’m cooking, and luckily it connected and (the police) literally came and saved my life,” she said.
Overall, it took officers around 20 minutes to arrive at the property, where her ex-partner was still present.
Image credits: Good Morning Britain
She admitted she had no idea if her desperate voice command would work.
“It all happened really quickly. I was shouting to Alexa and to my phone, I didn’t know if it would work.
“I know that I use it to call my contacts and people, but I didn’t know if it would work. It was sheer desperation.”
Image credits: Good Morning Britain
She added that her attacker actually tried to destroy any technology that could connect her to the outside world.
“He smashed up all the Alexas just in case. But my phone, when I did find it, it was somewhere in the corner in the room, so it connected from wherever I’d shouted.”
Emma-Louise later listened to the recording of her desperate call at court.
“When I listened back to the call recording at court, you can hear the operator saying, 'Oh my God he's going to k*ll her,’” Emma-Louise stated.
The attacker was sentenced to more than nine years
Image credits: Good Morning Britain
The court later held her attacker accountable. On August 14, at Preston Crown Court, he pleaded guilty and received a sentence of nine years and four months.
That included six years and four months behind bars, followed by three years on license.
Emma-Louise has since reflected publicly on her ordeal in hopes of raising awareness about the warning signs of domestic ab*se and the unexpected ways technology can make a difference.
Image credits: Emma-Louise Kelly New/Facebook
For her, it was Siri that made survival possible.
“I thought I was going to die. I was desperate and helpless. I'm so grateful for Siri for connecting to the police as if she didn’t, I might not be here. She saved my life,” she said.
Her appearance on Good Morning Britain resonated widely with viewers, sparking conversations about how smart devices are used in emergencies.
“In old times, I reached for my phone to call 911 & had my phone taken away from me, & thrown. Absolutely utilize these times with technology,” one commenter wrote.
“This is why my house is completely wired with Alexa and Facebook all to my phone,” wrote another.
Netizens shared their thoughts on Emma-Louise’s experience on social media
