Chapel Hill athlete's death under investigation

CHAPEL HILL Atlas Fraley, 17, was found dead in the middle of his living room floor on Tuesday. Eyewitness News has learned Fraley called 911, but was never taken to the hospital.

EMS officials held a news conference Thursday afternoon regarding their response to Fraley's 911 call.

"A full review of the facts is in progress so that we and the family may have a clear picture of the circumstances surrounding this tragic and extraordinary event," officials said.

Officials are reviewing the calls in the case and want to know if Fraley died from dehydration or a possible asthma attack.

"I'm having full body cramps," Atlas told 911 officials. "My body is hurting all over. I just came home from football practice and I think I need an IV or something."

What happened after his call is still unclear. A dispatcher told Atlas help was on the way.

Emergency officials indicate he was treated but not transported. A second 911 call came hours later when Fraley's parents found him dead. His father tried to preform CPR, but says he was already dead.

Atlas' father, David Fraley is furious with Orange County emergency officials.

"They actually didn't tell us anything," David Fraley said. "I specifically asked them, if they came out, why did they leave him by himself? They said they couldn't answer that. We will get to the bottom of it, if I have to spend the rest of my life doing it."

What is clearer to the Fraley's is the cause of death. Initially, they thought it was his asthma. After hearing the 911 call, they fear he wasn't drinking his regular regimen of fluids.

"He wasn't able to use his regular regiment he'd been using. They changed the practice schedule so he wasn't able to get the fluids he needed before practice," David Fraley said.

"Our coaches try and give us as many water breaks as they can. So they try to give us time to relax and get our breath and rehydrate and then we get back on the field and keep going," One of Atlas' teammates told Eyewitness News.

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