When Trea Ellinger left a Baltimore drug rehab facility last summer, he told his worried mother he was fine. He had his medications and planned to meet his girlfriend.
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Trea Ellinger, 29, died last summer after an encounter with first responders in downtown Baltimore. He had recently left a drug rehab facility and assured his mother that he was fine. The next day, he was found dead after being given a sedative and restrained by police and medics.
Ellinger's death highlights a growing issue in the U.S. A recent Associated Press investigation found that sedating people detained by police has become common in the last 15 years. This practice, aimed at reducing violence and saving lives, has led to deaths that could have been prevented.
Ellinger's autopsy showed he died from an overdose of an antidepressant and methadone, often used to treat opioid addiction. Lori Ellinger, his mother, disagrees with these findings and questions why paramedics chose to use an injectable sedative. "I think they caused my son's death with that shot," she said. "He shouldn't have died at 29."
Experts not involved suggest Ellinger may have died from both sedation and lying face down, which can block breathing. Eric Jaeger, an emergency medical services educator, believes Ellinger might still be alive if he had been placed on the stretcher face up.
The Baltimore City Fire Department, responsible for the city's medics, provided its policies on sedatives and restraints but declined to comment on the case due to potential litigation. No charges have been filed against any of the first responders involved, and Ellinger's family has not sued.
Police body camera footage depicts officers handcuffing Ellinger as requested by medics and placing him on his side before administering midazolam.
However, Ellinger later shifted onto his stomach while being strapped to a stretcher, remaining there for several minutes. He eventually stopped moving and was transported to a hospital, where he died.
Lori Ellinger continues to mourn her son's untimely death. She cherishes memories of his love for music and his adventurous spirit, despite his struggles with substance abuse and mental health issues. "I love and miss him," she also said that they had a lot of good years — but not enough.
