Family Of 72-Year-Old Brentwood Woman Who Died After Arrest Files Civil Rights Claim Against City

BRENTWOOD, CA — A Brentwood family is asking for answers in the wake of a 72-year-old grandmother's death following her arrest for allegedly disturbing the peace in September.

Yolanda Ramirez died in the hospital after officers allegedly forced her to her knees, handcuffed her, screamed at her to get up, slammed her head against a police vehicle and shoved her into the back seat, according to a claim filed this week by her husband against the city of Brentwood.
The claim says Ramirez was at a home on Broderick Drive on Sept. 26 to pick up her elderly brother for his doctor's appointment.

When he didn't answer the door, she called out to try to get his attention and may have gotten into an argument with her sister, according to the family's lawyer, Melissa Nold.

Someone called police, who arrived at about 10:15 a.m. and who were allegedly immediately aggressive towards her and "treated her like she just did a home invasion," Nold said.

"Witnesses first started being alerted to it because she was crying out, 'You're hurting me. Why are you doing this to me,'" Nold said.

After handcuffing her tight enough to cut her wrists, the officers then allegedly left Ramirez unattended in the back of the patrol car for about 10 minutes.

Witnesses said that when an ambulance arrived, it took multiple officers and EMTs to get her out of the car.

"At this point she was covered in vomit and appeared to be unconscious," according to the claim, which alleges that the officers failed to inform medical personnel that she had hit her head.

"The family was given the impression from the hospital that she had a sudden medical emergency," said Nold, who noted that at least six witnesses paint a different picture.

Ramirez was first taken to Kaiser Permanente Antioch Medical Center, then to John Muir Hospital for emergency surgery to repair a brain bleed, but she never woke up and died on Oct. 3, Nold said.

Ramirez, who was a 30-year employee of Contra Costa County, was close to celebrating her 50-year wedding anniversary when she died.

"The only time she ever had contact with the police, they killed her," Nold said. "Even the most rough-and-tumble cops don't manhandle elderly people. It's a bizarre, Twilight Zone situation."

The claim says the Brentwood Police Department refuses to tell her family what happened, concealed her death from the public and has not issued "so much as a press release acknowledging this incident."

A spokesperson for the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office confirmed that it is investigating Ramirez's death, which is typical when someone dies in police custody.

Brentwood police officials didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.

The claim accused the officers of wrongful death, federal civil rights violations, elder abuse, battery and false arrest, among other things.

If the city denies the claim, Ramirez's family can proceed to file a lawsuit against the city, the department and the officers involved.

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