Overview
- The family of actor Robert Carradine filed a wrongful-death and elder-abuse suit Friday in Los Angeles civil court against the Regents of the University of California seeking general, special and economic damages.
- The complaint says Carradine entered UCLA’s locked psychiatric unit with a belt that staff failed to confiscate, and that nonstandard furniture—a rolling bedside table—remained in his room.
- The filing alleges staff did not perform mandated 15-minute observation checks and that Carradine attempted suicide about 19 hours after admission, suffered an anoxic brain injury, and died on February 23, 2026.
- The suit claims hospital records preserved a version of events that surveillance video contradicted, an allegation that focuses scrutiny on UCLA’s post-incident documentation and internal review processes.
- Carradine’s long history of bipolar disorder is cited in the complaint and the case spotlights standard inpatient safety rules—removal of belts, shoelaces and similar items and frequent checks—which could prompt broader review of psychiatric unit practices and recordkeeping.