Juan Carlos Chavez
Juan Carlos Chavez, 39, died on April 20, 2022, while held at the Monterey County Jail in California. His family's lawsuit says he died by suicide, and that he was found unresponsive with toilet paper blocking his airway after trying to strangle himself the day before. Neutral monitor reports question the mental health response and why he was not sent to the hospital. The County of Monterey agreed to pay the family $1.2 million, and the family also received a private settlement from Wellpath, the jail's health care provider.
Cause of death, as reported: Died by suicide (disputed; neglect alleged). Neutral monitor reports question the mental health response and why he was not sent to the hospital after he tried to strangle himself the day before, and his family's lawsuit, settled with the County of Monterey and Wellpath, pursues claims over his care.
Reported by: Monterey County Jail (the agency that held him); neutral monitor reports; his family's lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His family sued Monterey County and Wellpath, the jail's health care provider; the county settled for $1 million, reported in July 2024, while Wellpath settled privately for an undisclosed amount.