San Diego County to pay nearly $15M to family of pregnant woman who died in jail 5 years ago

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Law Enforcement News

San Diego County Sheriff's Department

Elisa Serna died shortly after she collapsed in her cell in the jail’s medical observation unit, five days after she was booked into the jail.

Along with the monetary terms, the settlement mandates that the county institute a series of reforms aimed at improving training for county jail personnel and revise protocols for inmates receiving medical careSan Diego County and one of its health care contractors have agreed to pay $15 million to the family of a woman who died at the Las Colinas jail in Santee nearly five years ago.

The judge who oversaw the settlement will monitor the sheriff's department over the next year to ensure compliance with the terms. San Diego County's jails have been under scrutiny for their high rate of in-custody deaths, drawing criticism from the public and a scathing report from the California State Auditor that pointed to deficiencies in the San Diego County Sheriff's Department's practices and polices.

"Elisa Serna deserved better. My sympathy goes to the Serna family and everyone who has been affected by this case, and I am glad that the county of San Diego and the family have reached a settlement," Martinez said. Grace Jun, another attorney who represented the Serna family throughout the case, cited another in-custody death from 2022 in which an inmate suffering from withdrawal symptoms was allegedly not provided withdrawal medication and later died. The family of that woman, Vianna Granillo, filed a wrongful death lawsuit earlier this year against the county.

 

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San Diego County to pay nearly $15M to Elisa Serna's familyThe settlement calls for the sheriff’s department to conduct new training for deputies and jail medical staff. It also allows the judge to monitor the department’s compliance with its agreement.
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