LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) — The family of a transgender HIV-positive prison inmate who was beaten and strangled to death by her cell mate is suing for wrongful death.
The Estate of Kaushal Niroula and others filed a complaint Aug. 25 in the District Court Central District of California against the County of Riverside, Riverside County Sheriff's Department, Sheriff Chad Bianco, Edward Delgado, James Krachmer, David Holm, Ronald Sanchez and others, alleging negligence, wrongful death and other claims.
According to the plaintiffs' complaint, Niroula was a transgender female who was HIV-positive and a pre-trial inmate at the Cois M. Byrd Detention Center in Riverside County. They claim on September 6, 2022, while in custody, Niroula was brutally beaten and strangled to death by her cellmate, who was a convicted sex offender.
The plaintiffs allege the defendants failed to properly classify the inmate who killed Niroula and that they were aware of the inmate's violent history and tendencies based on medical and penal records. They also allege the inmate was not constantly housed in a high-observation unit or other isolation housing and should never have been put in a two-person cell with Niroula.
The plaintiffs seek monetary relief, interest and all other just relief. They are represented by Denisse Gastelum of Gastelum Law APC in Long Beach and Christian Contreras of the Law Offices of Christian Contreras in Los Angeles.
District Court Central District of California Western Division case number 5:23-CV-01739-JGB-SK