Press Release: Federal Court Refuses to Dismiss Kleberg County Jail Death Case

Federal Court Refuses to Dismiss Case Against Kleberg County for Jail Death of 32-Year-Old Woman

For Immediate Release

Corpus Christi, Texas – 9/18/2024

32-year-old Cynthia Garcia had significant mental health issues and attempted suicide by taking a number of Olanzapine pills. Her mother called for help, and a Falfurrias police officer came to the scene. The officer had Cynthia Garcia transported to CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Kleberg for emergency treatment for an overdose. Ms. Garcia received an evaluation at the hospital. However, after allegations that Ms. Garcia refused medical treatment and assaulted nurses, emergency room staff called for law enforcement. A Kingsville police officer went to the hospital and arrested Ms. Garcia after the emergency room released her as being supposedly “medically cleared.” The officer expressed surprise more than once that she had been medically cleared, because Ms. Garcia was incoherent, could barely walk or stand, seemed to be going in and out of consciousness, and appeared to everyone at the scene as being in an altered mental status. A document from the emergency room indicated that Ms. Garcia needed to be monitored.

After Ms. Garcia arrived at the Kleberg County jail, jailers made fun of her, including of her weight. Cynthia was dropped into a padded cell, nude, and received no further treatment. She stayed in that cell for a few hours until she was found unresponsive. No monitoring occurred. Cynthia was pronounced deceased at CHRISTUS Spohn Corpus Christi Shoreline Hospital.

Constitutional rights lawyer Dean Malone represents Cynthia’s mother and filed a federal lawsuit in Corpus Christi against Kleberg County and CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Kleberg. Lawyers for Kleberg County asked the federal court to dismiss claims against the county. The court refused to dismiss the claims and signed a 15-page order. A copy of that order is attached to this press release.

Mr. Malone said, “Federal court procedure allows defendants to ask a court to dismiss a case long before a jury can review it. There is little doubt that Kleberg County would like to avoid people in the community sitting as jurors and deciding what is appropriate for Cynthia’s treatment and death. We are pleased the court denied the county’s attempt to end claims against it, and we will continue in our search for all evidence necessary to bring this case to trial.”

Written By: Dean Malone

Dean Malone

Dean Malone is the founder of Law Offices of Dean Malone, P.C., a jail neglect civil rights law firm. Mr. Malone earned his bachelor's degree at the University of Texas at Dallas, graduating summa cum laude with a 4.0 GPA, and from Baylor University School of Law with a general civil litigation concentration. Mr. Malone served in several staff positions for the Baylor Law Review, including executive editor. Mr. Malone is an experienced trial lawyer, trying a number of cases to jury verdict and also handling arbitrations through final hearing. He heads the jail neglect section of his law firm, in which lawyers litigate cases involving serious injury and death resulting from jail neglect and abuse. Lawyers frequently refer cases to Mr. Malone due to his focus on this very complicated civil rights practice area.