A Georgia woman fell out of a police car and died because sheriff's deputies failed to close the door before taking off with her in the back seat, an investigation has determined.
The incident happened on July 15 after deputies in Hancock County, about 100 miles southeast of Atlanta, arrested 28-year-old Brianna Marie Grier, who was experiencing a schizophrenic episode, her parents told WMAZ-TV. She was handcuffed, put into a patrol car and taken away.
A short time later, Grier fell out of the car and sustained injuries that had her in a coma until last week, when she died.
After conducting interviews, inspecting the car and reviewing bodycam footage taken during the arrest, the Georgia Bureau of Investigations on Thursday revealed its findings: deputies failed to close the door before leaving the scene.
According to the GBI, Grier refused to get in the car and threatened to harm herself after being placed in handcuffs. Officials did not comment on why Grier was being arrested.
"Grier was on the ground refusing to get in the patrol car. To put Grier in the patrol car, one of the deputies walked around and opened the rear passenger side door," the GBI said in a statement. "The deputy quickly returned to the rear driver's side door. Both deputies put Grier in the back seat of the patrol car."
The GBI said Grier was handcuffed in front of her body with no seat belt. Deputies closed the rear driver's side door, but not the rear passenger side door. The GBI said the deputy "thought he closed" the door, though it didn't specify what led to that conclusion.
"The deputies left the scene and drove a short distance," the GBI said. "Body camera footage reveals the deputies had no other contact with Grier from the time she was placed in the car until she fell out of the moving car."
The GBI offered no details as to what caused Grier to fall from the vehicle. She suffered severe injuries and died six days later.
Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump represents Grier's family.
"It is the responsibility of law enforcement to keep everyone in their custody safe and alive, including when there is a mental health crisis," Crump said in a statement to NBC News. "Brianna's family had faith in law enforcement to get her the help she needed, and now they are being forced to grieve her completely unnecessary death."
It's unclear if charges are expected to be filed in the case, which remains under investigation.
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