Christian Madrigal
Christian Madrigal was a 20-year-old man from Fremont, California, who had recently moved from Mexico and loved to play soccer; his family says he had never before been suicidal. His parents called police in June 2019 hoping he would get psychiatric care during a mental health crisis, and he was taken to Santa Rita Jail in Dublin. He died on June 15, 2019, after being chained to a cell door for hours, and the coroner ruled his death a suicide by hanging. His attorney and family dispute how he was restrained and say he was not violent, and the sheriff's office has argued his death should not count as an in-custody death because he was released on compassionate release.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide (disputed; neglect alleged). The coroner ruled it a suicide by hanging, but his family and attorney dispute the deputies' account and say his restraint to a cell door was improper, and a family lawsuit says the jail has not released the autopsy or video; KTVU's review of Internal Affairs records found a lieutenant chained him to a cell door for more than two hours, and the family says staff ignored his mental health crisis.
Reported by: county coroner; Santa Rita Jail deputies (the agency that held him); his parents' federal wrongful death lawsuit (family or their lawyers); civil rights attorney John Burris (family or their lawyers); KTVU (reporters).
Lawsuit: His parents filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit over his death at Santa Rita Jail, and no settlement or award amount has been reported.
News reports (4)
- A look at the people who have died at Santa Rita Jail
- Wrongful death suit: Fremont man, 20, dies after being chained to Santa Rita jail door
- Body cam footage in Santa Rita jail undercuts deputies' claims about 20-year-old inmate's death
- Lieutenant admits he made 'epic mistake' for chaining 20-year-old to Santa Rita Jail door