The family of actor Robert Carradine is suing the University of California over his death, alleging UCLA staff failed to follow suicide prevention safeguards after he voluntarily entered a locked psychiatric unit while experiencing suicidal thoughts.
Carradine’s children filed the lawsuit Aug. 7 against the Regents of the University of California, accusing the university of wrongful death, elder abuse and neglect over the care he received at UCLA’s Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital. Carradine, best known for his roles in Revenge of the Nerds and Disney Channel’s Lizzie McGuire, was 71.
He had first been admitted to Resnick on Jan. 2 and was discharged about a week later. According to the lawsuit, Carradine later told his psychiatrist that he believed he had left the hospital too soon and wanted additional inpatient treatment.
On Jan. 16, he voluntarily returned to the facility while continuing to experience suicidal thoughts. The filing states that Carradine wanted treatment in a locked and structured setting and told an admitting physician that his problems felt unsolvable and he could see no way out. His family says he also told his psychiatrist that he did not want to die.
Carradine had a history of bipolar disorder, depression, and previous suicide attempts. Following his readmission, a physician ordered hospital staff to observe him every 15 minutes.
His children allege those checks were not consistently performed. They also claim staff failed to remove items that could pose a danger to him, including a belt that he was allegedly allowed to keep despite UCLA policies restricting belts and belt buckles for patients considered at risk of self-harm. A rolling bedside table that was not standard furniture for the unit was also allegedly left in his room.
About 19 hours after his readmission, staff found Carradine unresponsive in his room. He had gone into cardiac arrest and suffered an anoxic brain injury, which occurs when the brain is deprived of oxygen.
He never regained consciousness and remained in intensive care for approximately five weeks before dying Feb. 23. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner determined that his death resulted from complications of the brain injury and classified the death as a suicide.
The family also alleges UCLA’s records did not match surveillance footage from the unit. According to the filing, video showed that required checks were not performed during periods when Carradine’s medical records indicated staff had observed him. Other entries allegedly showed him participating in group therapy after he had already been found unresponsive and medical personnel were attempting to resuscitate him.
Under California law, certain surviving relatives can bring a wrongful death claim when they allege another party’s wrongful act or neglect caused a death. Carradine’s children contend the alleged failures in his care meet that standard.
Their elder abuse claim is based on separate protections for adults who are 65 or older. California law recognizes neglect to include failures to provide necessary medical care or protect an elder in a caregiver’s custody from health and safety hazards. The family argues the alleged failures at Resnick fall within those protections.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages. UCLA Health had not publicly responded to the allegations as of Tuesday.
The widow of actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Dr. Tenisha Warner, has filed a lawsuit against her late husband's mother, Pamela Warner, alleging she is owed more than $1.2 million under a prenuptial agreement the couple signed before their 2017 marriage. The suit, filed Monday in DeKalb County Superior Court, lands on... Read More »
Nick Reiner, the California man accused of fatally stabbing his parents last year, is now embroiled in a second legal battle, one that could determine who represents him as he fights two murder charges.In a newly filed probate court petition, Reiner is seeking access to a $1.7 million trust fund... Read More »
In a lawsuit filed last week in Santa Clara County Superior Court by the parents of Stanford University student Katie Meyer, the parents accused the university of negligent actions in disciplining their daughter. They say the negligent actions led to their daughter’s death. Meyer was the captain of the University's... Read More »
In November 2021, a California man died while under the custody of Santa Rita jail in Dublin, California. In an amended complaint, his family says officials failed to take the appropriate action to save his life, leading him to suffer a “slow, torturous death.” Maurice Monk, 45, was taken into... Read More »
The beginning of 2022 saw the death of treasured 90’s sitcom star, comedian, and television host Bob Saget. Although some speculation percolated about the cause of the 65-year-old actor’s death, officials were quick to state that the preliminary investigation indicated no drugs or foul play were involved. The Orange County... Read More »
