Christina Cardenas, the wife of a California inmate, will receive a $5.6 million settlement after being sexually violated during a strip search when trying to visit her husband in prison. The incident occurred on September 6, 2019, when Cardenas was subject to multiple searches, including a strip search by prison officials, drug and pregnancy tests, X-ray and CT scans at a hospital, and another strip search by a male doctor who sexually violated her. She was also handcuffed and denied access to water and the bathroom during the search process. Despite no contraband being found, Cardenas was denied her visit with her husband and later received invoices for over $5,000 for the hospital services.
The $5.6 million settlement will be paid by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation as well as other defendants, including two correctional officers, a doctor, and the Adventist Health Tehachapi Valley hospital. The searches were conducted based on a warrant that stated a strip search could only be conducted if an X-ray found foreign objects in Cardenas’ body, which was not the case. Cardenas also experienced difficulties during a previous visit to marry her husband and continued to face challenges during subsequent visits.
The settlement also requires the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to distribute a policy memorandum to better protect the rights of visitors who have to undergo strip searches. This includes ensuring the visitor understands the search warrant, receiving a copy of the warrant, making sure everyone involved understands the scope of the warrant, and ensuring the search does not exceed the scope of the warrant. Cardenas hopes this case will help protect the rights of spouses and family members who visit loved ones in prison.
Cardenas’ attorney, Gloria Allred, stated that the incident Cardenas experienced is not uncommon and hopes this case will lead to better protections for visitors to prisons. The settlement comes at a time when California prisons have faced ongoing issues of sexual abuse and misconduct, with the U.S. Justice Department opening an investigation into allegations of systematic sexual abuse of incarcerated women at two state-run prisons. The federal Bureau of Prisons has also announced the closure of a women’s prison in Northern California following an investigation that revealed rampant sexual abuse by correctional officers.
Despite the traumatic experience Cardenas went through, she remains committed to advocating for the rights of individuals who visit loved ones in prison. The settlement she received serves as a form of justice for the violation she endured, and it is hoped that it will lead to better practices and protections for visitors in the future. Cardenas’ case sheds light on the need for reform within the prison system to prevent further instances of sexual abuse and misconduct against individuals who are already in vulnerable situations.
