Special needs teen didn’t die from sedation, Greenville County coroner says

GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - The Greenville County Coroner’s Office said a teenager with special teens whose death is under investigation died from natural causes.

Skyler Blizzard, 16, was treated for pneumonia at the Greenville Memorial Hospital emergency room on Apr. 28 and discharged back to Springbrook Behavior Health, a residential facility in Travelers Rest for people with autism.

The next day, paramedics were called again because Blizzard was having trouble breathing. He went into cardiac arrest on the way to the hospital and died shortly thereafter at Greenville Memorial.

On Monday the coroner’s office said their investigation into Blizzard’s death was completed. His manner of death was ruled natural due to adenovirus pneumonia.

Earlier this year, the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and Greenville County Emergency Medical Services also launched investigations into Blizzard’s death. According to the coroner’s report, a paramedic’s relative reached out to EMS saying the paramedic admitted to giving the teen 10mg of Versed to “shut him up.”

Versed is typically given to patients before surgery and the standard dose is 5mg.

The coroner said Versed did not show up on Blizzard’s toxicology report and did not contribute to his death. The teen was already in respiratory distress when paramedics arrived, according to the coroner.

A spokesperson for SLED said the agency’s investigation is ongoing.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Paramedic accused of giving special needs teen meds before death to ‘shut him up,’ coroner’s report says

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