Mom demands answers over 29-year-old son's death after he was sedated and restrained by Baltimore medics

A Baltimore mother is looking for answers complete her son's decease aft he was restrained and sedated by medics. 

Trea Ellinger, 29, had near a Baltimore supplier rehab installation past July and assured his anxious mother that everything was fine. He had his medications and was readying to meet up pinch his girlfriend.

But by nan pursuing afternoon, he was dormant — not from nan unit his mom feared he mightiness face, but because he didn't past an brushwood pinch first responders successful downtown Baltimore who declare to person recovered him successful nan mediate of nan thoroughfare attempting suicide, and 'fighting people'.

Ellinger, 29, died aft being sedated and restrained. 

Despite repeated comments from constabulary and medics astatine nan segment acknowledging nan dangers of lying look down successful nan prone position, responders grounded to enactment urgently erstwhile nan handcuffed Ellinger turned onto his tummy and remained that measurement for respective minutes, according to investigators and experts.

His decease adds to a database of akin cases arsenic nan believe of giving sedatives to group detained by constabulary has dispersed softly crossed nan federation complete nan past 15 years. 

The strategy, which was intended to trim unit and prevention lives, has resulted successful immoderate avoidable deaths.

In Ellinger's case, nan autopsy wished that he died from overdosing connected an antidepressant and methadone, which is commonly prescribed to curb opioid cravings. The findings didn't opportunity if different factors mightiness person contributed to his death.

His mother, Lori Ellinger, questions nan autopsy's findings and wants to cognize why paramedics decided to usage an injectable sedative.

'I do judge they killed my boy pinch that shot,' she said. 'He shouldn't beryllium dormant astatine 29 years old.'

Independent experts opportunity Trea Ellinger could person died from nan mixed effects of being sedated and lying prone, which tin obstruct a person's airways.

The Baltimore City Fire Department, which employs nan city's medics, provided copies of its policies regarding nan usage of sedatives, beingness restraints and different related topics. 

But nan agency declined to remark connected nan circumstances surrounding Ellinger's death, citing nan imaginable for early litigation.

None of nan first responders progressive person been charged, and Ellinger's family hasn't sued.

According to an investigative study released successful May by nan Maryland lawyer general's office, a 911 caller reported that a man was lying successful nan mediate of a downtown Baltimore street, speaking incomprehensibly, and acting combative and distressed.

Police assemblage camera footage of nan brushwood shows officers handcuffing Ellinger astatine nan petition of medics. 

Officers laid him connected his broadside until he was injected pinch midazolam and past lifted him onto a stretcher.

'As agelong arsenic he's not lying look down, that would beryllium great,' 1 of nan medics says.

Ellinger was initially positioned connected his broadside again, but his continued flailing shifted him onto his tummy while first responders affixed nan stretcher straps, according to nan report. 

Inside nan ambulance, 1 medic started checking his captious signs while different sat by his head. He remained look down, sometimes struggling against nan stretcher's straps, nan study says.

Four minutes later, nan medics discussed getting Ellinger repositioned, but they didn't enactment immediately. 

After different infinitesimal passed, Ellinger was 'moving only slightly,' nan study says.

Finally, a medic released nan straps and helped rotation Ellinger onto his side, noting that his lips were blue. 

he aforesaid medic told his workfellow he could administer Narcan, an opioid overdose reversal medication.

Ellinger was unhandcuffed and placed connected his backmost arsenic medics began performing thorax compressions, according to nan report. 

He regained a beat and was transported to nan hospital, wherever he later died.

The study was produced nether a comparatively caller authorities rule that requires nan Maryland lawyer general's agency to analyse each in-custody deaths. 

In this case, investigators specifically noted that they were only tasked pinch investigating nan actions of nan constabulary officers, not those of nan medics aliases different first responders.

Eric Jaeger, an emergency aesculapian services pedagogue successful New Hampshire who has nary relationship to nan case, said nan astir evident problem was that nan medics near Ellinger prone for respective minutes, perchance hindering his expertise to breathe. 

He said he shows nan bodycam footage to his students arsenic an illustration of what tin spell incorrect erstwhile a patient's airways aren't prioritized during sedation.

'I deliberation Trea Ellinger would beryllium live coming if he had been placed connected nan stretcher look up,' Jaeger told AP.

He besides questioned nan first determination to sedate Ellinger, saying medics should beryllium peculiarly discerning astir erstwhile to administer specified narcotics because of nan risks they pose.

When dealing pinch an agitated patient, occurrence section argumentation directs medics to 'place nan diligent successful supine position (face up) arsenic soon arsenic practical.' A different argumentation says a restrained diligent should beryllium placed 'face up aliases connected their side, if astatine each possible.'

Fire officials declined to reply questions astir nan case, including whether nan agency is conducting an soul review. 

The national representing firefighters and paramedics besides declined to comment, and nan mayor's agency didn't respond to caller inquiries astir nan case.

It appears nan determination to sedate Ellinger utilizing midazolam was successful accordance pinch section policy.

Gail Van Norman, professor emeritus of anesthesiology astatine nan University of Washington, said nan sedative could person depressed his respiration and relaxed nan muscles of his precocious airway, making him much susceptible to cardiac arrest.

'The medics made a fewer aesculapian mistakes,' she said. 'But this was a quickly evolving business wherever nan unexpected happened. I don't envy them nan decisions they had to make.'

Ellinger died successful July 2023. In April, Baltimore prosecutors announced their determination not to bring charges. The investigative study was released nan pursuing month.

Meanwhile, Lori Ellinger is still trying to process nan untimely decease of her only child. 

She wears a necklace shaped for illustration a guitar that symbolizes Trea's passion for music. 

She scrolls done aged photos connected her telephone and reminisces astir his childhood.

Trea Ellinger grew up successful agrarian northeastern Maryland and worked for a actual institution aft finishing precocious school. 

Despite his struggles pinch constituent abuse, he spent overmuch of his 20s crisscrossing nan state pinch a walking carnival, a occupation he loved.

In nan months earlier his death, he was trying to enactment connected way and taking methadone to curb his opioid cravings.

His mom said he had been antecedently diagnosed pinch intelligence wellness issues, including bipolar upset and schizophrenia.

Lori Ellinger visited her boy astatine his rehab installation and brought him immoderate groceries nan time earlier his death. 

She said he seemed successful bully spirits but a mates of hours later, he called and said different resident had stabbed him successful nan enarthrosis during an argument. 

His injuries weren't severe, but nan installation asked him to leave, she said.

She believes he ended up sleeping connected nan streets that night. 

The pursuing afternoon, he was seen stumbling astir downtown Baltimore, falling many times and acting disoriented, according to nan investigative report.

Watching nan videos and reference nan report, Lori Ellinger's bosom breaks for her son.

Clearly he was experiencing immoderate benignant of crisis, but she didn't get a telephone until hours later, erstwhile a caregiver told her he had already died.

'I emotion and miss him,' she said. 'We had a batch of bully years — but not enough.'