California prison worker sues over vicious attack as she shows her life-altering injuries
A California prison kitchen supervisor is suing after she was allegedly attacked inside a walk-in freezer by an inmate in a violent incident that prosecutors say left her with life-altering injuries.The alleged assault happened on Aug.10, 2025 inside the kitchen freezer at the California Institute for Men in Chino, according to claims presented at a news conference connected to the lawsuit.Attorneys allege the inmate, who was serving time for assault with a deadly weapon, attempted to sexually assault the supervisor before stabbing her in the neck.“There’s really no words that can describe what happened.
I thought I lost my sister,” the victim’s sister said at a press conference.Lawyers say the inmate should never have been assigned to work in the kitchen, where he allegedly had access to knives and other dangerous tools.Attorney Denisse Gastelum said the placement decision put staff at unnecessary risk and should have been prevented.Gastelum also blasted prison staff, accusing a correctional officer of failing to monitor the encounter despite being warned that the supervisor and inmate would be entering an isolated area together.“Letting him know, hey, I’m going to go into the freezer now with this prisoner.Watch me, have my back, supervise me.
None of which he did,” Gastelum said at the press conference.The lawsuit alleges that when the attack began, it wasn’t prison staff who rushed to help — it was fellow inmates.“I want to make sure that we are clear on this.It was other prisoners that had to come to Jane Doe’s rescue while the correctional officer stayed there neglecting his duties,” Gastelum said.Attorney Toni Jaramilla questioned why the inmate was assigned to work in the kitchen in the first place and why additional safeguards were not in place.“Why was it that a known felon who attacks women was placed in an area where there are kitchen tools with knives and other weapons,” Jaramilla said at the presser.
“Why was he placed ...