COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — The family of a 15-year-old girl who died after collapsing at volleyball practice is now suing Grady Memorial Hospital Corporation and Grady EMS.
They say a lack of ambulances contributed to the death of Amanda “Mandy” Sylvester in December 2024.
On Friday, Channel 2’s Michael Seiden was at a news conference as Mandy Sylvester’s family and attorney Ben Crump announced the lawsuit.
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Mandy Sylvester collapsed during volleyball practice at a College Park recreation center.
Dispatch records show that the first 911 call came in just after 6 p.m. But the family alleges no ambulance ever arrived, costing them valuable time.
“Had they known that Grady did not have any ambulances available, they could’ve had more precious minutes," Crump said.
The lawsuit alleges that Grady EMS, the exclusive ambulance provider for the area, had no available ambulances to send and failed to request mutual aid from other agencies.
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After waiting nearly 45 minutes, her mother, Barbara Sylvester, drove her daughter to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta herself.
“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 said.
Her father, Anthony Sylvester Jr., says there is no question about who is responsible.
“Everyone did what they were supposed to do. Grady let us down and did not send an ambulance," he said.
A spokesperson for Grady Memorial Hospital shared a statement with Channel 2 Action News that read:
“We are aware of the lawsuit and intend 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.”
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