Upstate teen dies after jumping from ambulance
Posted: Mar 02, 2010 9:17 AM EST
Updated: Mar 02, 2010 12:38 PM EST
(NBC) - Family members of a Greenville, SC teen killed when he jumped from a moving ambulance said that the death of the autistic 16-year-old on Sunday could have been prevented.

For starters, Shelly Hodge didn't want her son, Ryan Emory, released from the William S. Hall Psychiatric Institute in Columbia on Feb. 6. On his discharge papers she wrote: "I, Shelly Hodge, Ryan Emory's mother, disagree with the Department of Disabilities and Special Need's discharge recommendation at this time. There are no services in place. I fear for my safety and his."

Hodge isn't just a concerned mother. She's also a nurse. Based on her medical training, she believes there was something very wrong with her son, more than just autism.

"He knows his little mind was broken and just wanted someone to help him," she said. "No one would help him. Nobody would take him in. All he needed was 24/7 care at a facility to evaluate him. That's what I was asking for."

Hodge said her son was like a 6-year-old mentally, but physically he was big and strong. Emory weighed 250 pounds, so when he threw a tantrum there was a chance someone would get hurt. Often it was family.

Hodge tried to impress the DDSN that her son desperately needed help.

"'This kid's not safe. It's not going to end well.' I told them that and they didn't believe me," said Hodge.

According to family members, Emory was hospitalized three times since December. They claim the DDSN told them Emory didn't meet the criteria for round-the-clock care.

DDSN officials declined to comment.

Friday, after another episode of violence, Emory was taken to Greenville Memorial Hospital. Sunday, he learned he was being transferred back to the Psychiatric Institute in Columbia.

"Ryan made it clear he didn't want to go," Hodge said. "He was sedated. The last thing he said to me was, 'Goodbye. I'm going to rest now.'"

Twenty minutes later, Hodge learned that her son jumped out of an ambulance onto Interstate 85.

Greenville County Deputy Coroner Mike Ellis said that the teen was restrained on a gurney in the back of an ambulance when he loosened his restraints, got past the EMT with him, opened the door and jumped out the moving vehicle.

Emory landed in the road, tumbled several times and went into cardiac arrest, Ellis said, around 12:45 p.m. on I-85 northbound between Laurens Road and I-385. The ambulance stopped and emergency workers tried to treat Emory before taking him back to Greenville Memorial Hospital.

He was pronounced dead at 1:16 p.m. An autopsy performed Monday revealed the preliminary cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head.

The incident is still under investigation by the Greenville County Coroner's Office and the South Carolina Highway Patrol.

The ambulance was operated by Mobile Care Unit and owned by Greenville Hospital System.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family at this difficult time," Greenville Memorial Hospital spokeswoman Sandy Dees said in a statement. "The incident is still under investigation by the Highway Patrol, and we are cooperating fully. Because this is an ongoing investigation, we cannot comment further at this time."

The family vows to keep fighting so that Emory's death is not in vain.

"Many people have wanted to help, tried to help, but run into red tape. DDSN said help was on the way," said Hodge.

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