Christina Cardenas, the wife of a California inmate, will receive a $5.6 million settlement after alleging she was sexually assaulted during a strip search at a correctional facility in Tehachapi, The Associated Press reports.
The incident occurred on September 6, 2019, when Cardenas traveled four hours to visit her husband.
According to the lawsuit, Cardenas was subjected to a strip search, drug and pregnancy tests, X-ray and CT scans at a hospital, and another strip search by a male doctor who allegedly sexually violated her. These searches were conducted based on a warrant that allowed for a strip search only if an X-ray revealed foreign objects that could be contraband. However, no such objects were found.
Cardenas was also handcuffed and subjected to a “humiliating perp walk” while being transported to and from the hospital. She was denied access to water or a bathroom for most of the search process and told she would be responsible for the hospital’s fees, later receiving invoices totaling over $5,000. Despite no contraband being found, Cardenas was denied her visit with her husband.
“My motivation in pursuing this lawsuit was to ensure that others do not have to endure the same egregious offenses that I experienced,” Cardenas said.
The settlement will be paid by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation ($3.6 million) and other defendants including two correctional officers, a doctor, and the Adventist Health Tehachapi Valley hospital.
The settlement also includes a requirement for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to distribute a policy memo to employees. This memo will outline improved protections for visitors who must undergo strip searches, including ensuring the warrant is fully understood by the visitor, a copy of the warrant is provided, and the scope of the warrant is clearly understood and not exceeded.
Gloria Allred, Cardenas’ attorney, stated that Cardenas is not alone in experiencing such abuse by correctional officers and hopes this case will help protect the rights of spouses and family members who visit incarcerated loved ones.
This settlement comes amid a broader issue of sexual abuse and misconduct within California prisons. The US Justice Department is currently investigating allegations of systematic sexual abuse of incarcerated women by correctional officers at two state-run California prisons.
