Coyoy V. Corecivic, Inc.

  • Court: State of Texas,  San Antonio Division, Superior Court
  • Case Number: 5:19cv916
  • Filed: July 31, 2019
  • Judges: Fred Biery
  • Case Type: Personal Injury (360)
  • Cause: Diversity-(Citizenship)

Parties Involved

  • Plaintiff(s): Yazmin Jurez Coyoy
    • Counsel for Plaintiff: Amanda S. Thomson | Andrew David Bergman | Daniel F. Jacobson (Terminated) | Kathleen Weng | Kristina Iliopoulos | R. Stanton Jones | Robert N. Weiner | Sally Pei | Stacey Menjivar | Allissa Aileen Pollard | Christopher M. Odell

 

  • Defendant(s): CoreCivic, Inc.
    • Counsel for Defendants: Ashlee B. Hesman| Daniel P. Struck | Danya Wayland Blair | Laurence S. Kurth

 Verdict Information

  • Verdict Date: February 13, 2024
  • Damages sustained by Plaintiff:$40,000,000

About the Case

Cause

CoreCivic, a large private prison company, oversaw the poorly managed family immigration detention facility in Dilley, Texas. The crowded and unsanitary conditions at the detention center created a hazardous environment. These conditions caused 18-month-old Mariee Juárez, who arrived healthy after fleeing violence with her mother Yazmin from Guatemala, to contract a severe respiratory illness. Despite Mariee’s deteriorating condition with high fever, vomiting, and significant weight loss, the inadequate medical staff at CoreCivic’s detention facility were dismissive and provided substandard care. Staff prescribed ineffective remedies like water and medications contraindicated for young children instead of proper treatment for Mariee’s worsening respiratory infection. When Mariee’s respiratory illness became life-threatening, CoreCivic improperly cleared her for release and air travel from the immigration detention center without a qualified medical examination.

Injury

Mariee’s undertreated severe respiratory illness rapidly worsened after her release from CoreCivic’s disease-ridden Dilley family detention facility. Upon arriving at her destination, she was rushed to the hospital but could not be saved after weeks of immense suffering. Tragically, Mariee died on May 10, 2018 from respiratory illness complications at just 18 months old. The lawsuit alleges CoreCivic’s negligence, reckless disregard for detainee health and safety standards, and failure to ensure adequate medical care for respiratory illnesses at the unsanitary Dilley immigration detention facility led directly to Mariee’s preventable and agonizing death.

Damages

Yazmin Juárez Coyoy, the plaintiff, seeks various forms of relief from the court against Defendant CoreCivic, Inc. for their negligence. These include actual damages, exemplary damages, court costs, prejudgment and post judgment interest, and any other legal or equitable relief deemed appropriate. Ms. Juárez seeks redress for the grievances outlined in the preceding arguments. She emphasizes the significance of these remedies in addressing the harm incurred.

Jury Verdict

After careful consideration and deliberation, the jury unanimously finds that CoreCivic was not negligent in the case at hand and awarded $0 to the plaintiff.

Court Documents: Available upon Request