The parents of Brandon Yates are seeking answers and change after their son was allegedly murdered in a San Diego County jail cell. According to their attorneys, Gene Iredale and Julia Yoo, Yates, who struggled with drug and mental health issues, was housed at the Central Jail with an inmate who should have been kept separate from others.
The lawsuit alleges that 36-year-old Alvin Ruiz, who has been charged with Yates’ death, was experiencing a severe mental health episode when he attacked Yates. Attorneys say Ruiz believed Yates was possessed by the devil.
According to the lawsuit, Yates repeatedly pressed the panic button and screamed for help for approximately an hour, but deputies did not respond. “No one came to Brandon’s aide as he was being tortured, stripped naked, bound, sexually assaulted, and murdered,” said Yoo.
The medical examiner’s report states Yates’s cause of death was asphyxiation consistent with manual and ligature strangulation and smothering.
Yates’ parents described him as a “good kid” who began struggling with drug and mental health issues a few years ago. “We didn’t expect to be on this journey,” said Andrea Carrier, Yates’ mother. “We’re fighting for Brandon. We’re his voice to fight for change. We’ve read cases. This is not an isolated incident. This has been happening for way too long. Policies either need to be made or enforced. Legislation needs to be changed. Something needs to happen.”
The lawsuit states that Ruiz was a “bypass” inmate, meaning he should have been kept separate from other inmates due to safety concerns. Ruiz, who was accused of attacking his wife and child, allegedly told investigators that Kim Kardashian Illuminati was taking his blood and that the CIA was coming through the vents.
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office responded to a request for comment, stating, “We cannot comment, specifically or generally, as this matter involves both pending civil litigation and active criminal prosecution.”
