SAN DIEGO — The city of San Diego is paying $875,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by the young son of a woman who overdosed in the back of a police squad car inside San Diego Police headquarters.
Aleah Jenkins, 24, died in December 2018, nine days after she overdosed following a traffic arrest for an outstanding misdemeanor warrant for possession of methamphetamine.
During the traffic stop, body camera footage from the police officers shows Jenkins appears aware and alert and soon became disoriented. Before getting transported to San Diego Police Headquarters for fingerprints, Jenkins grew ill and began to vomit.
Officers were poised to call for medical help but Jenkins said that she was suffering from an upset stomach and didn't need any help.
Jenkins's medical condition soon worsened.
Video taken during the car ride to police headquarters shows Jenkins in severe distress, asking the officer for help.
At one point the officer pulled over to check on her.
"Ms. Jenkins, hey, wake up, okay," the officer is heard saying as Jenkins is seen lying down in the backseat.
Jenkins then lets out a shriek as the officer walks back to the driver's seat.
"Hey, knock it off with that," says the officer.
Minutes later, en route to SDPD headquarters, Jenkins cries out for help numerous times.
"You're fine," said the officer.
By the time they arrived at the SDPD Sally Port, Jenkins was in severe medical distress.
She soon became unresponsive, and despite attempts at CPR and mouth-to-mouth, Jenkins never regained consciousness, dying nine days later from acute methamphetamine and fentanyl intoxication.
Jenkins' death prompted public protests coordinated by her family and community members, who claimed officers ignored the severity of her condition.
Her young son, known by his initials of J.K.J., filed a wrongful death lawsuit in 2019 against the city and two offices, Lawrence Durbin and Jason Taub. In 2020, a federal judge ruled in favor of the city and the officers.
After one failed attempt at appealing the dismissal, in 2023 an appellate plan reversed the decision and ordered the case to be reinstated.
San Diego City Council is expected to finalize the settlement on June 11.