L.A. County Sheriff’s Department Faces Lawsuit for In-Custody Death [Los Angeles, CA]

LOS ANGELES, CA (April 2, 2024) — The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is facing a lawsuit following the tragic death of Abel Garcia, a 48-year-old inmate, who suffered a fatal heart attack while in custody at Men’s Central Jail in April 2023. The legal action accuses deputies of neglecting urgent medical needs despite clear signs of distress and requests for aid from Garcia himself and fellow inmates.

According to the lawsuit, inmates in proximity alerted the authorities to Garcia’s worsening condition, urging that he needed immediate medical intervention. Despite these pleas, the response from deputies was critically delayed. 

It wasn’t until Garcia collapsed and became unresponsive that medical assistance was finally called, but by then, it was tragically too late. Garcia, a father of two, was pronounced dead later that day.

The Los Angeles in-custody death lawsuit highlights a grievous concern regarding the treatment of inmates and the responsibility of law enforcement to provide timely and adequate medical care. It seeks justice for Garcia’s untimely death and aims to address the broader issues of negligence and accountability within the incarceration system.

This incident raises critical questions about the duty of care owed to those in custody and the mechanisms in place to protect their rights and well-being.