Keith Reynolds is talking about SEPTA's response last weekend to the death of a homeless man on one of its buses. The man, 68-year-old Leonard Sedden, was Reynolds' father.
"No one said could we uh call the police to get him off or see what's wrong with him or call the ambulance or anything like that."
Sedden was found dead early Sunday morning (April 11th).
Bus driver Nantika Manfra called SEPTA's dispatch to report the passenger was unresponsive.
"So just leave him on the bus and pick up passengers?" Manfra is heard to say on the SEPTA audio recording. "Yes," the dispatcher replied. "Don't want to delay service."
The supervisor caught up with the bus at 39th and Walnut and told the driver to continue to 15th and Market where he would check out the passenger. That's where it was determined the man was breathing and the driver should continue on her route which finally ended over an hour later at the Frankford Terminal. SEPTA police were there.
"Uh, SEPTA Police are here," Manfra said. "He believes the passenger is dead, I guess he's starting whatever his procedures are."
"Did you say dead?" the disptacher replies.
"Yes, he said he believes the passenger is dead," Manfra told him.
Leonard Sedden died of a drug overdose complicated by heart disease.
SEPTA said it is common to let late night passed out passengers sleep it off rather than face a confrontation.
Keith Reynolds said that needs to change.
"Should have relayed a message to some sort of medical authority of if their at 15th and Market meet them there the officer, the police can you be at 15th and Market to off load this man. He's been on the bus too long."
Reynolds' does plan to take legal action against SEPTA, meanwhile the union plans to file a grievance on behalf of the driver.
