Ricky Christianson
Ricky Christianson, 59, died in November 2020 while held at the Cerro Gordo County Jail in Iowa. He told staff he had life-threatening seizures and had had one the day before. His children's wrongful death lawsuit says that the next morning he had another seizure and was left on the floor of a padded cell, and that surveillance video showed he went unchecked for 91 minutes before staff found him dead. The lawsuit alleges medical neglect, and in March 2022 the county settled and a court ordered $3.5 million paid to his estate.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of illness (disputed; neglect alleged). Christianson's children say in a wrongful death lawsuit that he died of a seizure after jail staff left him unchecked on the floor of a padded cell for 91 minutes despite his reported seizure history.
Reported by: Christianson's children in a wrongful death lawsuit (family or their lawyers).
Lawsuit: His children sued for wrongful death, and Cerro Gordo County settled for $3.5 million in March 2022.