Family Sues Grady EMS After Teen's Death Due to Ambulance Shortage

A multimillion-dollar lawsuit has been filed against Grady Hospital Corporation and Grady EMS following the death of 15-year-old Mandy Sylvester. The teenager died after a medical emergency during volleyball practice in December 2024. Her family alleges that delays in ambulance services played a critical role in the tragedy. The incident began when a 911 call was made for Mandy Sylvester, but no ambulance was available to respond. Grady EMS was operating at 'level zero', meaning they had no ambulances to dispatch at the time. According to the lawsuit, callers were not told about the shortage until a second 911 call was placed over 20 minutes later.

With no ambulance arriving, Mandy’s mother, Barbara Sylvester, drove her daughter to the hospital herself. The lawsuit further claims that Grady EMS failed to request mutual aid from other services when their own resources were unavailable. Legal action has now been taken by attorney Ben Crump and a team of lawyers on behalf of the Sylvester family.

Grady Hospital has stated they will respond through the legal process, citing federal and state privacy laws as the reason for their limited public comment. The lawsuit seeks justice for Mandy Sylvester and highlights concerns about ambulance availability in Fulton County. It argues that the delays in emergency response directly contributed to her death. The case raises questions about protocols for handling resource shortages in critical situations.