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Robert Carradine's family is suing over his suicide, accusing a University of California Los Angeles facility of failing to prevent his death.
The actor's estate is suing the Regents of the University of California for wrongful death and elder abuse, after the "Revenge of the Nerds" star died by suicide, according to an Aug. 7 lawsuit obtained by TheWrap on Sunday, Aug. 9.
The "Lizzie McGuire" actor, who battled bipolar disorder for nearly two decades, checked himself into a UCLA neuropsychiatric hospital in January after experiencing suicidal ideation, according to a medical
examiner's report previously obtained by USA TODAY. His family's lawsuit states that Carradine felt "relieved to be hospitalized" in UCLA's psychiatric units and hoped treatment would allow him to rest and "reduce his anxiety."
Robert Carradine was left alone for 'long periods,' lawsuit says
But the facility would break a "standard" and "cardinal rule for a hospitalized psychiatric patient with active suicidal thoughts and a history of suicide attempts" by letting Carradine "walk into a locked psychiatric unit with a belt," which could be used to "cause self-harm," TheWrap, citing the lawsuit, reported.
The family's lawsuit also said it is common practice for facilities to remove belts, shoelaces and drawstrings from patients. UCLA's own policy lists belts and buckles as contraband, the filing says, adding that the belongings intake form when Carradine was admitted to the facility showed they "failed to confiscate" the item.
Carradine attempted suicide 19 hours after he was admitted, the lawsuit said, according to TheWrap. The family added that, in addition to allowing him to keep a belt, "no one watched him or checked on him for long periods of time."
USA TODAY has reached out to the Regents of the University of California and Carradine's lawyer for comment.
How did Robert Carradine die?
Carradine checked himself into a UCLA neuropsychiatric hospital after having suicidal thoughts, USA TODAY previously reported. The next day, he was discovered "unresponsive and found to be in cardiac arrest" after attempting suicide. After five weeks of hospitalization in an ICU, his "condition continued to decline," and he died of sequelae of anoxic brain injury, which are complications that occur when oxygen is completely cut off from the brain.
"None of this happened because UCLA lacked the knowledge, the policies or the means," the filing added. "It happened because UCLA took shortcuts with two safeguards that were meant to protect Robert's life."
After his death, the facility "did not investigate reality" and instead maintained "a version of events in the records that the surveillance video contradicted," the family said.
The family is seeking general damages, special and economic damages and wrongful damages from the defendants, TheWrap reported.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Robert Carradine's family says hospital broke 'cardinal rule' leading to his death
