A California woman has received $5.6 million after being sexually assaulted during a strip search while visiting her husband in prison. The incident happened in September 2019 at a correctional facility in Tehachapi.
Christina Cardenas, who drove four hours to see her husband, went through several invasive procedures including strip searches, drug and pregnancy tests, and medical scans. During one of these procedures, a male doctor sexually assaulted her.
Mrs. Cardenas said her goal in filing the lawsuit was to prevent others from going through similar abuse.
The settlement, paid by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and other defendants, will compensate Mrs. Cardenas for the harm she suffered.
The lawsuit revealed that the searches were excessive. A warrant allowed strip searches only if X-rays or CT scans showed contraband, but despite multiple scans showing no contraband, Mrs. Cardenas was still subjected to invasive searches.
Besides the sexual assault, Mrs. Cardenas faced other mistreatment, such as being denied water and bathroom access and paying high fees for medical procedures.
Her lawyers argued that prison officials used these actions to intimidate her from visiting her husband. They said the searches and assault were clear violations of her rights.
As part of the settlement, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation must create new policies to protect visitors during strip searches. These policies will ensure visitors know their rights, that searches are done respectfully, and that they follow strict guidelines.
