Pedro Sepulveda
Pedro Sepulveda, 27, was held at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning, Riverside County, California, when he was hurt in a fight with another person in a common room on January 21, 2017. His family's federal lawsuit says he lay on the floor for several minutes without oxygen and that staff waited about 19 minutes to reach him and did not begin emergency care. The lawsuit says he was declared brain dead and died the next day, January 22, in a hospital. The Riverside County Sheriff's Department declined to comment on the ongoing litigation, and an earlier sheriff's statement said the incident was under investigation.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by another person in custody (disputed; neglect alleged). The Riverside County Sheriff's Department said he was injured in a fight with another inmate, and his family's federal lawsuit says staff waited about 19 minutes to reach him after the fight and did not start emergency care.
Reported by: Riverside County Sheriff's Department (the agency that held him); his family's federal lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His family sued Riverside County in federal court over his death at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility, and the sheriff's department declined to comment on the ongoing litigation.