Larra Gillis
Larra Gillis, 47, a mother who had three children of her own and others she helped raise, was held at the Monterey County Jail in California in December 2015. Her partner Donald Villareal said, "She had her problems, but she would do anything for anybody," and that "everybody loved her." Her sons' lawsuit says she was locked in a padded safety cell for about 28 hours, was found unresponsive there, and received no medical attention while detoxing and suffering from an infection. She was taken to Natividad Medical Center and died there on December 19, 2015, from sepsis, dehydration and kidney or organ failure. The county and California Forensic Medical Group settled the suit for more than $800,000, and the sheriff's office said it conducted an extensive review after her death.
Cause of death, as reported: Died from neglect by staff (disputed). Her sons' lawsuit says jail staff left her locked in a padded safety cell, gave her little food or water, and gave her no medical care while she was detoxing and infected, and the county settled without admitting fault.
Reported by: her sons and their attorney Elise Sanguinetti, in a wrongful death lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: Her sons sued Monterey County and California Forensic Medical Group over her care, and the suit reached a tentative settlement in August 2018 that was later reported at more than $800,000, with a figure of $825,000 also reported.
News reports (6)
- Woman's death raises Monterey County Jail care concerns
- County jail’s long list of reforms is underway, but slowly.
- Tentative settlement reached in Monterey County jail inmate's death
- Settlement reached for woman who died days after booked into Monterey County Jail
- Monterey County, jail's medical care provider to pay out $825,000 for inmate's 2015 death
- KSBW 8 Investigates: Deaths at the Monterey County Jail