Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, paid $3.5 million in March 2022 to settle a wrongful death lawsuit over the death of Ricky Christianson, a 59-year-old man who died in the Mason City jail after staff left him unattended for 91 minutes following a seizure. The Cerro Gordo County jail death settlement resolved claims that officers ignored Christianson’s known seizure disorder, skipped mandatory welfare checks, and falsified records about the care they said they provided.
What Happened to Ricky Christianson
Christianson was arrested on November 17, 2020, on a probation violation and booked into the Cerro Gordo County Jail. He told staff at intake that he suffered from life-threatening seizures, that the arresting officer had not let him bring his anti-seizure medication, and that he had had a seizure the day before.1Prison Legal News. $3.5 Million Paid to Estate of Iowa Jail Detainee Who Suffered Seizure and Died When Left Unattended
Around 7:00 a.m. the next morning, Christianson had a seizure. Staff moved him to a padded cell and left. Surveillance video later showed that no one entered the cell for 91 minutes. When officers returned at about 8:45 a.m., he was unresponsive. He was taken by ambulance to MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center and pronounced dead.2Iowa Department of Public Safety. DCI Investigates Death of Cerro Gordo County Jail Inmate
What the Family’s Lawsuit Alleged
In November 2021, Christianson’s children sued the county and six jail officials in Iowa District Court for Cerro Gordo County. The case, Bashir v. Cerro Gordo County (Case No. ESPR031353), alleged deliberate indifference and reckless negligence in violation of the Iowa Constitution. Attorney Dave O’Brien of Cedar Rapids represented the family.1Prison Legal News. $3.5 Million Paid to Estate of Iowa Jail Detainee Who Suffered Seizure and Died When Left Unattended
The complaint laid out several categories of alleged misconduct. The arresting officer did not bring Christianson’s medication, and jail staff made no effort to obtain it despite being told about his condition. After the seizure, no one evaluated him or provided treatment. Staff then left him alone for 91 minutes in a padded cell. And the lawsuit alleged that jail logs lied about Christianson’s housing status and claimed wellness checks that the surveillance video showed never happened. In all, the suit said the jail violated or ignored at least eight provisions of the Iowa Administrative Code.1Prison Legal News. $3.5 Million Paid to Estate of Iowa Jail Detainee Who Suffered Seizure and Died When Left Unattended
The 30-Minute Rule the Jail Broke
Iowa Administrative Code section 50.13 governs how often jail staff must check on people in custody. The general population requires documented personal observation at least every hour. Prisoners in “physical jeopardy,” a category that includes those who are intoxicated, mentally unstable, or in medical crisis, must be checked at least every 30 minutes.3Cornell Law Institute. Iowa Admin Code R. 201-50.13
Christianson, left in a padded cell after a seizure, plainly fit the 30-minute category. The 91-minute gap captured on video was more than three times the maximum the rule allows. That gave the plaintiffs an unusually clean case: a numerical benchmark, video evidence that the benchmark was missed, and log entries alleged to be false. No complicated expert dispute about reasonableness was needed.
How the Settlement Came Together
The case never reached a jury. On March 14, 2022, Judge Gregg Rosenbladt ordered the defendants to pay $3.5 million in agreed damages, an amount that included the plaintiffs’ attorney fees and costs. Trial had been scheduled for 2023, so the county resolved the matter more than a year before it would have faced jurors.4Des Moines Register. Iowa Jail Seizure Death Lawsuit Settled by Cerro Gordo County
O’Brien criticized the underlying conduct while praising how the county handled the litigation. “Mistakes happen, and as mistakes go this one was pretty egregious,” he said, contrasting Cerro Gordo with jurisdictions that fight disclosure and deny responsibility. The county, he said, “retained highly accomplished counsel, assessed the case and acted swiftly and appropriately to resolve the matter.” He added that the settlement’s size reflected a shift in which “Iowans are beginning to better value the lives of other Iowans.” Christianson’s family said the county’s response left them reassured that a similar death was unlikely to happen again.4Des Moines Register. Iowa Jail Seizure Death Lawsuit Settled by Cerro Gordo County