DEMOTTE, Ind. — The family of a man who died after a seizure led to a police incident are reacting to newly released body camera video of the young father's death in northern Indiana.
Rhyker Earl's family called 911 after he had his second seizure of the day Sept. 8 in Jasper County. Rhyker stopped breathing while in handcuffs and being held down by police. He died two days later.
"I just want justice for my brother," said Rhyker's sister, Tara. Rhyker calls for her in the released body cam video.
He leaves behind a 6-year-old son and a 2-year-old daughter.
During a news conference on Sept. 30, some of the video was played showing Rhyker begging for police to release him. 13News reviewed all of the video that has been released.
Body camera video released
The video shows multiple deputies holding down a handcuffed Rhyker, who repeatedly screams and begs for officers to get off of him. Deputies, emergency responders and Rhyker's family plead with him to calm down.
"I'm going to die!" Rhyker shouts at first responders.
"You're not going to die," a deputy tells Rhyker. "We're trying to help you."
In a statement, the sheriff has described Rhyker as demonstrating "significant physical resistance." In the video, you can hear a deputy reprimand Rhyker for allegedly hitting a medic. That's when deputies begin trying to restrain him.
In the body cam video, deputies wonder aloud if Rhyker is on methamphetamine. They also remark on his resistance to the sedatives being administered by medics.
Rhyker was in what is called a "post-ictal state," an altered mental state that is triggered by seizures. In that state, a person is confused and easily agitated. They also respond differently to medications.
His aunt, Miracle Glawinski, says Rhyker received multiple shots of sedatives, including at least four shots of ketamine.
"I have watched him have 50 seizures," Tara said. "It takes him up to 15 minutes to come back to himself after a seizure. I've had to remind him of who I am."
At one point, Rhyker begins slamming his head on the floor. Deputies put a pillow, that they say the family gave them, under his head to soften the blows. For most of the video, Rhyker is being held on his side.
Throughout the entire time he's conscious, Rhyker is begging to be released, and everyone else is begging Rhyker to calm down.
NOTE: The body camera video can be found here, but a warning that it is graphic.
Around 2:20 a.m. Sept. 9, the body camera video shows Rhyker, face down on the pillow, stop breathing with at least one deputy holding him down.
The deputy, apparently not realizing Rhyker has stopped breathing, says, "You're doing good, Rhyker."
It is only when first responders prepare to take him to the hospital, two minutes later, that they realize what has happened.
"Hey, is he breathing?" one emergency responder asks.
After a moment he says, "He looks blue."
"Does he have a pulse?" a family member asks.
"We're working on it," a deputy says.
A moment later, the emergency responder says, "no."
All of the first responders immediately move into action, including CPR, to try and revive Rhyker.
Rhyker was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Rhyker's father, Travis Earl, said his son had significant brain damage by the time he got his first MRI. His condition continued to deteriorate in the hours after.
Rhyker died Sept. 10.
The Lake County Illinois coroner is performing Rhyker's autopsy and has not declared a cause of death.
In the caption for the videos, the sheriff's office wrote, "By releasing this video, the Jasper County Sheriff's Office is not drawing any conclusions about the actions of anyone involved in this incident. The independent investigation will draw those conclusions."
Indiana State Police is investigating Rhyker's death.
Calling for training and accountability
"We need to make sure law enforcement knows how to interact with people having a medical crisis," Ben Crump, a civil rights attorney retained by the family, said. "And not escalating a situation of a person who is already in a confused state."
"I just hope there's some accountability taken for what happened," Travis said.
The family believes there is more body camera video that has not been shared yet. They are also calling for better training for police and first responders in dealing with people coming out of seizures.
"If you wanted to make a lesson on what not to do," Crump said, "it would be this video."
The Epilepsy Foundation said the best way to help someone who is confused after a seizure is to let them calm down on their own.
"99.99% of the time, it is going to recover on its own," said Dr. Jaqueline French, chief medical officer for the Epilepsy Foundation. "You know, somebody's in their own home and unlikely to injure themselves, and there's not much reason to do anything except, you know, maybe lock the door so that they don't get out. But otherwise, you just wait for them to recover on their own, which they will."
Crump said it's not clear if Rhyker's death was caused by how he was held by police or by the medications administered or a combination. His cause of death has not been released.
Crump said the legal team will pursue "all avenues" for justice in Rhyker's death.
Here is a video of the Sept. 30 press conference. WARNING: This includes graphic body cam video that may be upsetting to watch.
