By The opinion
03 Jul 2024, 22:59 PM EDT
Elisa Serna, who was pregnant, died shortly after collapsing in her cell in the jail’s medical observation unit on Nov. 11, 2019, five days after she was incarcerated, prompting her family to file a malpractice lawsuit.
Almost five years after the tragic moment, San Diego County and its health care contractor agreed to pay $15 million to the family of a pregnant Hispanic woman.
The settlement caps a legal battle over the death of 24-year-old Elisa Serna, who died alone in a jail cell despite being seen collapsing by a San Diego Sheriff’s Department deputy and a health care contractor.
Serna died on November 11, 2019, five days after being admitted to the Medical Observation Unit of Las Colinas prison.
In response to the incident, Sheriff Kelly A. Martinez spoke about the incident, stating that, “Elisa Serna deserved better. My deepest condolences to the Serna family and everyone affected by this case, and I am glad that San Diego County and the family have reached an agreement.
“At the time of this incident, I was the Deputy Sheriff for Law Enforcement Services and oversaw, among other areas, the Sheriff’s Homicide Unit. I was informed that the detective assigned to investigate Elisa’s death believed that some of our own employees and contracted medical providers may be criminally liable in the case. I appreciate the investigator’s courage in coming forward with that information. We submitted the investigation to the District Attorney’s Office for review and prosecution and ultimately the case went to trial earlier this year. I thank the District Attorney, the court, and the jury for their careful consideration during the criminal trial,” he continued.
The investigation launched by the family showed that the young woman was not placed on drug and alcohol withdrawal protocols, although she admitted that she had used heroin hours before her arrest.
A video from the prison captured that Neither the officers nor the medical staff came to help Serna, who had collapsed to the ground.
Jail nurse Danalee Pascua was charged with one count of voluntary manslaughter for failing to treat the young woman, who was pregnant. She was found not guilty earlier this year, the paper reported.
The doctor Friederike von Lintag was also tried for negligence but the jury was unable to reach a verdict.
The agreement also requires SDSD to train officers on medical care that should be provided to inmates and update its policy on checking detainees’ vital signs.
Serna was one of 16 people who died in San Diego County custody in 2019.
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