San Diego, California – The family of a homeless woman who was found dead in her impounded van is suing the city of San Diego, the San Diego Police Department (SDPD), and others involved in the case.
Monica Cameroni De Adams, 65, had been living in her 2001 Honda Odyssey in the Clairemont area for the past seven years. On November 5, 2023, her parked van was struck by a Hyundai Sonata driven by Jordan Lopez, who was later arrested and pleaded guilty to driving under the influence.
After the crash, San Diego police responded to the scene and took Lopez into custody. Roadway Towing towed De Adams’ van to an impound lot on Fairmount Avenue. However, authorities failed to realize that De Adams was still inside.
According to a lawsuit filed by her family, De Adams’ body remained inside the van for a month before a tow yard worker noticed a strong odor and discovered her remains on December 6. An autopsy determined she had died from blunt force trauma, but it remains unclear how long she survived after the crash or whether she could have been saved.
The lawsuit alleges negligence and civil rights violations against the city, SDPD, the officers who responded to the crash, Roadway Towing, and Lopez. Court documents state that De Adams was “visible to anyone looking inside” the van and that her injuries were potentially survivable.
De Adams’ adult daughter, Natalie, had reported her missing after she failed to answer a birthday phone call. The lawsuit claims her disappearance had occurred “in plain sight,” as her body remained in the impound lot for weeks before being discovered.
Lopez, whose blood alcohol level was reportedly more than three times the legal limit, pleaded guilty to DUI causing great bodily harm.
The family is seeking accountability for what they describe as a failure by authorities to properly inspect the vehicle and provide aid to De Adams after the crash.
