No signs of trauma found in Rhyker Earl's death, Lake County coroner says

JASPER COUNTY, Ind. (WLS) -- A coroner's autopsy found no signs of trauma after an Indiana man who died while being handcuffed last September.

The video in this story is from a previous report

The Lake County Coroner's Office said Wednesday said Rhyker Earl, 26, died as a result of cardiovascular disease and ruled the manner of death as natural.

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The 26-year-old father of two died after an encounter with sheriff's deputies and paramedics inside his home last September.

The Jasper County Sheriff's Office released the body camera footage of Earl's encounter with deputies who responded to his home in DeMotte after he suffered what his family said was his third seizure of the day. Earl had epilepsy.

READ MORE | Police release bodycam video of incident that led to Indiana man's death after being handcuffed

The deputies were called in because paramedics were having trouble controlling him.

Minutes into the encounter, deputies restrained Earl on the ground, asking him to remain calm as he pleaded for his life in front of his family.

Responders administered several shots of sedatives. Eventually Earl lost consciousness and paramedics performed CPR before taking him to the hospital. He died two days later.

The family has hired civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who said Earl's death was the result of a failure of duty to a man who was in the midst of a medical emergency.

Crump released a statement Thursday saying, "It is deeply troubling that, despite Rhyker Earl's pleas for help while in the midst of a medical emergency, he was restrained and sedated in front of his family in a manner that raises serious questions. The Lake County Coroner's findings do not address the concerns surrounding the handling of his case. To that end, the family's attorneys have formally requested the coroner's complete file and will have it reviewed by an independent forensic pathologist to ensure full transparency and accountability.

"Our investigation will also focus on the actions of police officers who escalated a medical emergency by restraining Rhyker face down in handcuffs for an extended period, as well as the actions of EMTs, who administered sedatives without monitoring his vital signs. We owe it to Rhyker and his family to uncover the full truth and hold all responsible parties accountable for this tragedy."