El Paso County pays $2.5M to settle lawsuit over man allegedly denied medical care before dying in jail
EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – El Paso County has paid $2.5 million to settle a lawsuit filed by the family of a Colorado Springs man who bled to death from a untreated perforated ulcer while in the El Paso County Jail, in a suit alleging medical neglect.
In April 2022, 48-year-old Cristo Canett was taken to the El Paso County Jail while awaiting medical treatment at a Colorado Springs emergency room, where he had been twice in two weeks for severe side pain. Before he could see a doctor, however, a dispute with a family member led to police being called, and Canett was arrested on an outstanding warrant.
Surveillance video from inside the jail, obtained by KRDO13 in 2023, shows him visibly in pain and clutching his stomach. But despite clear signs of distress, Canett was placed in a regular cell – and never seen by a doctor.
READ MORE: Family sues after man dies in El Paso County jail, alleging ‘disturbing’ trend of medical neglect
Hours later, Canett was in a wheelchair due to severe pain. According to the lawsuit, a deputy expressed concern to the jail's charge nurse, calling Canett's condition "unnerving," but was told medical staff were "aware of his condition."
Canett was found dead in his cell on April 26, 2022, just two days after his arrest. The El Paso County Coroner determined his cause of death was a perforated ulcer that led to internal bleeding.
The lawsuit, filed by Canett's family against the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, the Board of County Commissioners, and Wellpath in May 2023, claimed the jail's Wellpath medical staff "chose not to conduct any physical assessment, take a full set of vials," or give Canett any follow-up medical attention, despite him being in obvious pain.
Notably, Wellpath is no longer the healthcare provider for the El Paso County Jail, having been replaced by VitalCore in early 2024 following a string of lawsuits over multiple inmate deaths.
The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office said the Board of County Commissioners approved a $2.5 million settlement in the lawsuit in October 2024. Wellpath filed for bankruptcy just a month later, delaying the case until the company emerged just last week.
The settlement was finalized Wednesday, May 21, with Berkley Public Entity (El Paso County’s excess insurance carrier) paying $2 million and El Paso County paying $500,000 to Canett's family.
On Thursday, a spokesperson for the El Paso County Sheriff's Office shared the following statement:
"The El Paso County Sheriff's Office extends our condolences to Mr. Canett’s family and friends. It is our hope this settlement provides the family an opportunity to continue their healing journey."
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