STRASBURG, Ohio

A northeastern Ohio radio disc jockey is taking heat after he took a live phone call from a Tuscarawas County woman who has Down syndrome.

Rather than telling Kellie Baker, 30, of Strasburg, that she'd called a wrong number, he kept her on the air for more than two minutes, appearing to laugh at the way she speaks.

Baker made the accidental phone call on Jan. 21. She'd meant to call a friend, but had mistaken dialed Alliance radio station Q-92 and the host of "The Mo Show" took her call live on the air.

"Obviously you have some sort of speech impediment," the host said.
   
"Uh, no. This is my voice," Baker answered.

Throughout the call, the host asked her to repeat herself, encouraging her to "say it real slowly. I want to try to figure it out. It's a little game."

Eventually, he told Baker she'd called his station in error.


"You're talking to Mo," he said. "Do you know you Mo is?"
   
When Baker replied that she did not know who he was, he answered, "OK.  So I can laugh at you and you won't know who to call and say you're offended."

Baker's family was offended, but rather than joining calls to have the DJ fired, they're telling her story through traditional media and through a blog, which includes the transcript of the entire conversation.

The station's attorney issued a statement that read, in part:
   
"Q92 and The Mo Show would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm its support of efforts to raise  awareness regarding the challenges faced by people with developmental disabilities.  Specifically,  the station wishes to sincerely apologize again for any actions or comments that could be construed  as making light of the challenges faced by persons that are developmentally disabled or casting  those persons in any humorous light. The station's policy is to treat our callers and listeners with the utmost respect, professionalism, and sensitivity."

You can read the transcript of the conversation on the Baker family's blog at
http://kelliesstory.wordpress.com/2013/01/29/my-sister-was-bullied-by-a-radio-dj-transcript-included/