ATLANTA — A multi-million-dollar lawsuit filed against Grady Health System alleges negligence in its emergency response contributed to the death of a 15-year-old girl after suffering a medical emergency in December 2024.
The lawsuit claims Mandy Sylvester suffered a medical emergency during volleyball practice and endured a lengthy wait for an ambulance.
At the time, College Park city officials said the girl was in “physical distress” during warmups.
“Every day when I drive to work, I pass these big billboards that say I wouldn’t be here without Grady,” Mandy’s mother Barbara said. “I would give anything for my child to be on one of those billboards. But instead, I get to say I would be here but for Grady.”
Attorneys representing the family allege Grady failed to advise that no ambulances were available and did not follow state law by contacting outside emergency assistance.
Paramedics with College Park Fire Rescue and EMS responded to the recreation center shortly after 911 calls were made in December 2024. Emergency crews said the teenager was alert and able to speak at the time.
First responders requested Grady EMS transport the girl to the hospital, but city officials say an ambulance never arrived.
City officials previously said several follow-up calls were made, but the ambulance still never arrived at the recreation center.
As a result, staff with Dream Chasers Volleyball Club and recreation center personnel helped place Mandy into her mother’s van so she could be taken to Grady.
Mandy later went into cardiac arrest and died minutes after arriving at the hospital.
The lawsuit seeks damages and alleges delays in emergency response played a role in the teen’s death.
In a statement Grady says:
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.