Georgia family sues hospital after 15-year-old's death

A Georgia family has filed a lawsuit against Grady Memorial Hospital Corporation and Grady EMS in Atlanta, alleging negligence contributed to the death of their 15-year-old daughter, Amanda "Mandy" Sylvester. The teenager collapsed during volleyball practice and was eventually driven to hospital by her mother after no ambulance arrived.

Attorneys representing the family announced the lawsuit on Friday. The complaint was filed in Fulton County State Court on June 15, with the family demanding a jury trial.

Teen collapsed during volleyball practice

According to a press release from the family's attorney, Ben Crump, Sylvester collapsed while running laps at volleyball practice in College Park, just south of Atlanta, on December 5, 2024. Staff at the sports centre called 911 at 6:09 p.m.

The family alleges that Grady EMS, the only ambulance provider in the area, had no ambulances available at the time. They claim the organisation did not seek assistance from any other EMS providers.

Mother forced to drive daughter to hospital

After waiting roughly 45 minutes, the teenager's mother, Barbara Sylvester, drove her daughter to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta herself, the filing alleges. Amanda experienced seizures and other medical complications during the journey.

Speaking at a press conference, Barbara Sylvester described arriving at the hospital. "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," she said, according to WSB-TV and FOX 5 Atlanta.

"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," she added.

Complaint alleges Grady EMS at 'level zero'

The complaint, obtained by Saporta Report and reviewed by PEOPLE, alleges that when staff called for an ambulance for Amanda, Grady EMS was operating at "level zero," meaning no ambulances were available. The suit also claims 911 callers were not told about the shortage until a second call was placed roughly 20 minutes later.

"Had they known that Grady did not have any ambulances available, they could've had more precious minutes," Crump said at Friday's press conference, according to WSB.

The family's attorneys say Georgia law requires ambulance providers to request mutual aid when they cannot provide resources. The complaint claims Grady EMS failed to follow those requirements and failed to notify both emergency personnel and Amanda's family of the shortage.

Hospital responds to allegations

Grady Hospital administration told PEOPLE in a statement that it intends to "respond through the appropriate legal process."

"Because federal and state privacy laws restrict what we may disclose regarding a patient's medical care or protected health information, we are limited in our ability to comment on the allegations," the statement read.

Father says family wants accountability

At Friday's press conference, the teenager's father, Anthony Sylvester Jr., said the family chose to file the lawsuit to seek accountability for their daughter.

"When you call 911, you expect help to show up," he said, according to CBS Atlanta. "Grady let us down and did not send an ambulance."

Crump said the lawsuit also raises broader concerns about ambulance availability across the Atlanta area, noting that attorneys have identified other similar incidents in which residents waited excessive periods of time for an ambulance. "Mandy deserved a chance," he said.