Teen Fabian Avery Dies at Pelham Pre-Release Center

ATLANTA - A 17-year-old Atlanta resident, Fabian Avery, III died early Friday moing while being held in isolation in a jail cell. The teen's family said he complained about being sick, but didn't get the treatment he needed. Jail officials said they did what they could to help.

The teen's father said just weeks ago his son was in perfect health. The standout football and basketball player somehow died behind bars Friday moing.

"They slayed him like a dog, they treated him like a dog," said Avery's aunt, Anastasia Scott.

The teen was in Fulton County custody, but three weeks ago he was taken to Pelham Pre-Release Center in southwest Georgia, where they hold overflow Fulton County inmates.

"Someone needs to step up to the plate. This is a hard pill to swallow. I don't want it to happen to someone else's kid. It's really hard on me right now," said Avery II.

The teen's father said his son complained about being sick to him on the phone and told him he wasn't getting treatment.

"They were saying that he was fine. I called everyday, all day. I just kept calling. They would say Fabian is alright, Fabian is alright. Then I got a call to say he had passed," said Avery II.

Pelman police said a doctor who was seeing Avery examined him as recently as 5:00 p.m. Thursday.

An investigator said, "He wasn't eating right so he was put in isolation to monitor his food intake."

A guard found the teen dead at about 3:30 a.m. Friday.

"He was 17-years-old. He was a football player, basketball player. He was in good health," said Avery II.

The Fulton County Sheriff's Office officials said in a statement, "On Monday, high-ranking commanders from the Fulton County jail are going to visit the facility to survey conditions."

"We [are] hurting. We [are] empty here. We [are] empty here because we don't know what happened," said Avery II.

The GBI is now investigating Fabian Avery's death. An autopsy will be performed on Monday.