RENSSELAER, Ind. — Indiana State Police are investigating allegations of abuse by the Jasper County Sheriff's Department in the recent death of a 26-year-old Valparaiso, Indiana, native, according to county police.
A law firm retained by the family of the deceased claims that around 8:30 p.m. Sept. 8, Rhyker Earl suffered a seizure at a home in Demotte, Indiana, and 911 was called for help.
County police were among those who responded and found Earl "confused and agitated," which the law firms says is typical of someone recovering from a severe seizure.
"As Rhyker was trying to put on shorts to go to the hospital for medical attention, he lost his balance and fell into an officer," according to attorney Stephen Wagner of Carmel, Indiana.
"At that time officers became aggressive, yelling, 'you don't treat law enforcement that way,'" Wagner said.
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The officers allegedly "took Rhyker to the ground and handcuffed him face down on the floor," according to the family attorney. Multiple officers allegedly remained on top of him while medical officials gave him three doses of sedatives.
Some of the medical officials on scene had reportedly responded earlier that day to another call involving Earl having a less severe seizure.
While knowing Earl was having a medical emergency and had asthma, officers remained on top of Earl for more than 15 minutes "with his face in a pillow," Wagner said.
Earl reportedly begged for his life and screamed he could not breathe and eventually went limp, the attorney said. After a relative noticed Earl's face had turned blue and pleaded for help, emergency officials reportedly realized he was no longer breathing.
"Rhyker was taken to the hospital, but it was too late," Wagner said. It was later determined he had no brain activity, and life support measures were stopped Sept. 10.
Wagner asked why Earl was treated like a criminal rather than a patient, and why officers ignored both the "obvious risks of prone restraint" and Earl saying he could not breathe.
The Jasper County Sheriff's Department issued a statement confirming the medical call and said the department has asked state police to investigate.
Indiana State Police said Tuesday its Criminal Investigation Division at the Lowell Post is engaged in the investigation. It also said it "is aware of information being shared on various social media sites about this case."
"We request the public’s patience," state police said, "as detectives will conduct a thorough and comprehensive investigation."
An says Earl was born in Valparaiso and graduated in 2016 from Kankakee Valley High School in Indiana.
"Rhyker liked to play guitar and listen to music," according to the obituary. "He enjoyed fishing and drawing. He was an avid rock collector."