On Oct. 23, 2017, plaintiffs’ decedent Rodrick Castro, 33, an inmate at Deuel Vocational Institution, in Tracy, was questioned in regard to allegations that his former cellmate had been involved in dealing drugs. Castro’s current cellmate witnessed the interrogation. The next day, Castro was found dead after having been stabbed 92 times in the neck and torso with a sharp weapon. The decedent’s parents, Rodney Castro and Virginia Castro, and three children, sued the prison, Deuel Vocational Institution; the California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation; the operator of the prison, the state of California; the prison’s warden, Kimberly Seibel; a correctional officer, R. Adolfson; former secretary of the Department of Corrections, Scott Kernan; current secretary of the Department of Corrections, Ralph Diaz; and California Governor Edmund Brown Jr. The decedent’s family alleged that that defendants failed to protect the decedent from harm in violation of his civil rights. A minor son was dismissed from the case, and the decedent’s minor daughter was added as a plaintiff. In addition, Kernan, Brown, the prison, the Department of Corrections and the state were let out of the case. The matter continued against Seibel, Adolfson and Diaz only. Plaintiffs’ counsel asserted that the defendants failed to keep the decedent safe by separating him from those that could have harmed him, such as rival gang members. Counsel contended that video recordings from inside the prison showed suspected inmates planning the attack. Counsel asserted that the prison guards failed to monitor the live video and that if the guards had done so, it could have allowed them to relocate the decedent before he was killed. Defense counsel disputed all of the decedent’s family’s allegations., Castro sustained stab wounds to his neck and torso. He was found dead as a result of his wounds on Oct. 24, 2017. Castro was 33 years old. He was survived by his parents and four minor children. The decedent’s family sought recovery of wrongful death damages for the loss of Castro. They also claimed that they suffered emotional distress as a result of officials publicly announcing Castro’s death before notifying his mother.