Lawsuit announced against Grady in College Park teen's death
Grady lawsuit: Family wants answers after 15-year-old dies
Attorney Ben Crump announced a lawsuit against Grady Memorial Hospital EMS following the death of a 15-year-old girl, Amanda 'Mandy' Sylvester. The family claims a severe ambulance shortage delayed life-saving medical care during an emergency. Mandy's mother, Barbara Sylvester describes driving her seizing daughter through heavy rush hour traffic, before she ultimately died.
ATLANTA - The family of Amanda "Mandy" Sylvester announced a lawsuit Friday against Grady Memorial Hospital Corporation and Grady EMS, alleging failures in the emergency response following the 15-year-old's collapse during volleyball practice.
Amanda "Mandy" Sylvester (Supplied)
Attorney Ben Crump and members of the Sylvester family held a news conference Friday morning at The Enon Church in Atlanta to discuss the legal action.
Questions remain about emergency response
The backstory:
Mandy collapsed during volleyball practice at the Tracey Wyatt Recreation Center in College Park on Dec. 5, 2024. According to her family and attorney Ben Crump, an ambulance did not arrive for nearly an hour after the initial 911 call.
Grady Health System previously said the first call was classified as a low-acuity emergency, meaning the situation was not initially considered life-threatening. A second 911 call later upgraded the response to a higher-priority emergency.
Before an ambulance arrived, Mandy's mother drove her to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Hughes Spalding Hospital, where doctors revived her after her heart stopped. She later died that evening.
Family seeking accountability
What they're saying:
The Sylvester family has maintained that a faster emergency response could have changed the outcome.
"In about 45 minutes, I listened to my baby be in pain, in struggle, and then when I got to the hospital, I had to drop her off because I had to go park. I couldn't stay with my baby. And by the time I got back inside, she was in cardiac arrest," Barbara Sylvester, Mandy's mother, said.
"I never got to talk to her, hold her, and have my child again. This has been the worst experience any mother could ever have," Barbara added when speaking at Friday's conference.
The family is suing Grady and the EMS service, which they claim should have partnered with another service to meet emergency needs.
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