Nationwide — The family of Amanda Sylvester, an African American teen who died at 15 years old after collapsing during volleyball practice, has filed a lawsuit against a Georgia hospital system and ambulance provider. They claim that they waited 45 minutes for the ambulance to arrive, and that delays in emergency response cost the teenager precious time during a medical crisis.
Amanda, known as “Mandy” to her family, collapsed while running laps at a sports facility in College Park on Dec. 5, 2024. Staff immediately called 911 at 6:09 p.m. and requested an ambulance, but the family’s lawsuit claims no ambulances were available through Grady EMS, the area’s sole emergency transport provider.
According to People, the complaint says emergency callers were not promptly informed that Grady EMS was operating at “level zero,” meaning no ambulances were available. The lawsuit also alleges that Grady failed to seek assistance from other emergency medical providers despite being unable to respond.
After waiting about 45 minutes for help, Amanda’s mother, Barbara Sylvester, drove her daughter to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta herself. During the trip, Amanda reportedly suffered seizures and other serious medical complications.
Barbara later described the heartbreaking moments after arriving at the hospital. She said she briefly left Amanda to park her vehicle and returned to find her daughter in cardiac arrest. Amanda later died.
The lawsuit, filed in Fulton County State Court, argues that Georgia law requires ambulance services to request mutual aid when they cannot provide adequate resources. The family’s attorneys claim Grady EMS failed to follow those requirements and did not properly communicate the ambulance shortage to emergency personnel or Amanda’s family.
Amanda’s father, Anthony Sylvester Jr., said the legal action is intended to hold those responsible accountable. He said families expect emergency responders to arrive when they call 911 and believes the system failed his daughter during a critical medical emergency.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represents the family, said the case highlights broader concerns about ambulance availability in the Atlanta area. He argued that timely emergency care can make a crucial difference and said Amanda deserved the opportunity to receive that care.
In a statement, Grady Hospital said it would address the allegations through the legal process. The organization added that privacy laws limit what it can publicly disclose regarding a patient’s medical care and protected health information.