Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed On Behalf Of Woman Who Died In Custody

SAN DIEGO, CA — The family of a woman who died while in San Diego County custody filed a wrongful death lawsuit this week, alleging jail staff failed to provide her with withdrawal medication and did not immediately perform CPR when she became unresponsive.

Vianna Granillo, 25, died less than a week after her July 8, 2022, arrest, according to the lawsuit filed Wednesday in San Diego federal court.

There was no immediate response from the county.

The complaint filed on behalf of her minor son alleges Granillo had previously been arrested and booked into the Las Colinas jail in Santee and that her medical history was on file indicating she suffered from opiate addiction and should have received withdrawal medication upon booking.

Opiate withdrawal symptoms can be fatal if untreated, according to the lawsuit, which states Granillo received her first dose of the medication three days after her arrest, despite medical records indicating she "was begging for withdrawal medication" and telling medical staff "that she was feeling very bad and suffering from severe symptoms."

Granillo was later found unresponsive in her cell and the lawsuit alleges deputies didn't immediately provide medical aid such as CPR. Granillo was taken to a hospital, where she died the following day.

The complaint states that according to the San Diego County Medical Examiner, Granillo died of septic shock, with anoxic brain injury listed as a contributing factor.

The lawsuit alleges the septic shock was the result of "a stomach perforation that was caused by Ms. Granillo's untreated vomiting and diarrhea" and that those symptoms stemmed from her withdrawal.

The lawsuit also alleges anoxic brain injury "results in the death of brain cells after approximately four minutes of oxygen deprivation," while Granillo did not receive CPR until about 12 minutes after she was found unresponsive.

In addition to allegations that she was not properly cared for while in custody, the lawsuit alleges Granillo was arrested in error.

Granillo was arrested on suspicion of violating a restraining order, but according to the lawsuit, the restraining order that restricted her contact with her boyfriend had been downgraded more than a year before her arrest to allow "peaceful contact" between the two.

— City News Service