San Diego County will pay $3 million to the widow of a diabetic man who died in jail when his insulin pump ran dry and medical workers failed to resupply it for more than 19 hours.<\/p>\n
Cecilia Bach\u2019s lawsuit over the death of Keith Bach, her husband of 35 years, in the men\u2019s Central Jail in 2023 has been resolved with a settlement.<\/p>\n
San Diego County officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the latest payout over a death in local jails.<\/p>\n
The Sheriff\u2019s Office said in a statement Friday that it continually evaluates its medical practices and makes improvements where opportunities are identified.<\/p>\n
Among other new practices, the office said diabetes patients in jail are flagged for immediate care; safety alerts for insulin pumps have been implemented and detainees who need more insulin are housed in a jail medical unit, a department spokesman said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese enhancements reflect the Sheriff\u2019s Office\u2019s commitment to continuous quality improvement and patient safety,\u201d spokesperson Lt. David Collins said in an email.<\/p>\n
Attorney John Gomez, who represented Bach\u2019s widow in the federal lawsuit, said his client was pleased with the settlement but remains concerned that people keep dying in sheriff\u2019s custody.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen it comes to change, money talks loudest,\u201d Gomez said Friday. \u201cWe are hopeful that this result and others will continue to lead to meaningful reform.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bach, who was 63, had been working as a heating and air technician when he was arrested by Chula Vista police on Sept. 25, 2023, on suspicion of vandalism and making a criminal threat. He was not charged by prosecutors.<\/p>\n
A longtime diabetes patient, Bach was too sick to be booked into custody at the time of his arrest, so he was transported to Scripps Mercy Hospital for treatment.<\/p>\n
Later, he was medically cleared for booking and taken to the Central Jail in downtown San Diego. But Bach fainted during the booking process and was returned to the emergency room until he stabilized. He then was returned to jail.<\/p>\n
\u201cOrders were to continue using the insulin pump, confirm metformin dose and add blood sugar checks,\u201d the autopsy findings said.<\/p>\n
Court records show jail staff were told to monitor Bach\u2019s insulin after he was released from the hospital and placed back into their custody, and he was given 10 units of insulin on Sept. 26.<\/p>\n
But hours later, his blood glucose level hit a dangerous high, and he warned jail staff that such an insulin dose was too low. A nurse requested a higher dose, but approval of the order was \u201cpending review.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bach wasn\u2019t seen by any medical staff for nearly one full day. Even after the alarm on his insulin pump went off, they\u00a0did not refill the prescription.<\/p>\n
Bach died<\/a> early on the morning of Sept. 28, 2023.\u00a0He had not been evaluated for at least 19 hours at the time of his death. The pump alarm was still beeping when a coroner\u2019s investigator arrived.<\/p>\n \u201cFollowing insufficient insulin administration while in custody, Mr. Bach developed diabetic ketoacidosis and died,\u201d the autopsy findings noted.<\/p>\n \u201cThis occurred despite medical records containing documentation of his medical condition, insulin requirements, when his pump would be depleted of insulin and multiple unanswered requests for insulin by Mr. Bach and fellow inmates,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n The medical examiner\u2019s office classified the manner of death as a homicide<\/a> due to neglect, but no charges<\/a> were ever filed against any Sheriff\u2019s Office staff.<\/p>\n San Diego County jails have a history of in-custody deaths<\/a>, although their frequency has dipped in recent years due to reforms imposed by Sheriff Kelly A. Martinez. Five people<\/a> have died in custody so far this year, a notable decline from the 19 deaths recorded in 2022.<\/p>\n Lawsuits over many of those deaths have cost San Diego County taxpayers tens of millions of dollars in settlements in recent years, including $16 million paid to the family of Hayden Schuck<\/a> last year and $14 million paid to the family of Elisa Serna<\/a> in 2024.<\/p>\n