Cristo Canett
Cristo Canett, 48, went to a hospital seeking treatment for back and stomach pain in April 2022, and was arrested there on a warrant before he was treated. He was held at the El Paso County jail in Colorado Springs and was found unresponsive in his cell less than a day later, on April 26, 2022. His niece, Alina Naranjo, says he died of a ruptured ulcer and blames medical neglect, and a family lawsuit says he was never examined by jail health staff. The county coroner ruled that he died of a perforated ulcer, and the county later agreed to a $2.5 million settlement with his estate without admitting liability.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of illness (disputed; neglect alleged). The El Paso County Coroner ruled the death a perforated ulcer, but the family's lawsuit and estate attorneys say jail health staff never examined him despite severe abdominal pain, and that a nurse placed him in general population.
Reported by: El Paso County Coroner (medical examiner or coroner); family's lawsuit (family or their lawyers); attorneys for Canett's estate (family or their lawyers); Cannett's niece, Alina Naranjo, via an online fundraising page (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His family sued El Paso County and the county settled for $2.5 million, approved by the Board of County Commissioners in October 2024 without admitting liability.
News reports (4)
- Colorado’s largest county jail is having one of its deadliest years of the decade — after just five months
- El Paso County pays $2.5 million in settlement to family of man found dead inside jail cell in 2022
- Statement Regarding Settlement Agreement with the Estate of Mr. Cristo J. Canett
- Family of man who died in jail wins $2.5M settlement against El Paso County