College Park, Ga. (WDNews) — A 15-year-old volleyball player, Amanda Sylvester, died after collapsing during a practice session at the Tracey Wyatt Recreation Complex on Thursday.
The incident occurred while the Dream Chasers Volleyball Club was warming up. First responders from the College Park Fire Department arrived quickly, and the teen was reportedly alert and speaking. However, according to officials, Grady EMS “never fully responded” to the emergency call, despite repeated attempts over an hour.
Unable to wait, Sylvester’s mother transported her to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta in a personal vehicle. Tragically, the teen went into cardiac failure during the trip, was briefly revived, but later died.
Catherine Murray, representing the volleyball club, called the delay in ambulance service “unacceptable.” College Park officials expressed condolences and confirmed they are investigating the ambulance response delay.
Grady EMS stated the initial call was categorized as a “low acuity” case, meaning low severity. Past investigations revealed Grady’s response times for critical cases averaged 22-29 minutes, with less urgent calls taking up to 89 minutes.
Officials continue to review the circumstances surrounding this heartbreaking incident.
