Fraley medic stepped down

The paramedic responding in August to a local 17-year-old's complaints of body cramps discharged him after advising that he keep drinking fluids and stretching.

Hours later Atlas Fraley's parents found him dead.

Two weeks later paramedic James Griffin resigned.

In a report Griffin wrote that empty water bottles were on the counter. Fraley's arms legs and stomach hurt. He asked for intravenous fluids.

His respiratory and pulse were normal according to the report that must be filed for each paramedic's response by the end of his shift.

The report was provided Thursday by the attorney representing Fraley's parents.

Griffin wrote that he tried to call both parents at work. When neither picked up" he told Fraley to continue to drink water and Gatorade and work out his cramps. ""Pt. encouraged to cont. doing what he was already doing when I arrived"" he wrote.

Griffin then did what would be against emergency policy in most neighboring counties: allowed Fraley, a minor, to sign his own release.

Fraley's parents found him dead later that day.

Fraley was a star football player at Chapel Hill High School and had left a scrimmage earlier that day, complaining of a headache. The year before, paramedics had responded to his house and treated him with intravenous fluids for dehydration.

As a minor, Fraley could not have legally been released from emergency services custody in any of the surrounding areas.

Wake, Alamance, Durham and Chatham counties all require that paramedics release minors to parents or guardians. Counties set their own policy.

If parents can't be contacted, they will look for principals, coaches or other family, said Wake County Chief Skip Kirkwood.

We would not give medial advice to a 17-year-old"" said Jason Hensley, Chatham County training officer.

Even in non-serious cases, if they can't find a guardian, they wait or take the minor to the hospital.

Asked what the county policy is for notifying guardians of an emergency response, County Manager Laura Blackmon provided a 200-page document that does not mention notification.

Blackmon wrote in an e-mail that she is not aware of any policy changes that have resulted from Fraley's still unexplained death.

We're always looking at our protocols to see what changes are necessary"" said Frank Montes de Oca, emergency services director for the county.

The 200-page Orange County document of emergency protocol emphasizes that it is just a framework for patient care.

Orange County EMS personnel are expected to put the patient's interest first"" it states.

No obvious answers

Griffin's patient report says Fraley did not stay still long enough to receive an electrocardiogram, which measures electrical activity of the heart. Fraley would not sit down, so his blood pressure was taken standing up. He kept asking how long before the cramps would subside.""

Fraley denied to Griffin any weakness or loss of consciousness. He reported no shortness of breath.

In an autopsy released Wednesday" the state's chief medical examiner could not conclude how Fraley died.

And it is unclear whether Griffin who worked for Emergency Services for almost nine years violated any county policies. A peer review was completed" but county staff are citing personnel laws in refusing to release details of that report.

There is an exemption to personnel laws that allows county commissioners to release information when public confidence is at risk.

""We will be asking more questions"" said Pam Hemminger, a commissioner who was chairwoman of the local school board when Fraley died.

I was so hoping the Fraley family would get some answers.""



Staff writer Victoria Stilwell contributed reporting.

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.