Family of Diabetic Who Died in San Diego Sheriff’s Custody Files Lawsuit

The family of a diabetic who was allegedly not provided enough insulin by San Diego County jail staff and died as a result has filed a federal lawsuit against the county, among others.

The family of Chula Vista resident Keith Bach says jail staff members were aware he required insulin three times a day, yet over the course of a 19- hour period, he did not receive a single dose and was not seen by jail medical staff.

Bach died three days after his arrest.

The complaint filed last month in San Diego federal court says Bach’s cause of death was diabetic ketoacidosis due to “insufficient insulin administration while in custody.” The complaint states Bach’s manner of death was classified as a homicide in a report from the medical examiner’s office.

Citing other well-publicized incidences of people dying while in San Diego County sheriff’s custody, attorney John Gomez, whose firm represents the Bach family, called the San Diego Central Jail “the deadliest jail in our state.”

At a news conference held in front of the jail, Gomez called on state and federal prosecutors to investigate deaths at the jail and for the county Board of Supervisors to take action.

“It’s an embarrassment to all of us that live in this county,” Gomez said.

Bach, 63, was taken into custody on Sept. 25, 2023, after throwing a remote control at the wall of his home, according to his family’s attorneys. Gomez said that type of behavior sometimes happened when Bach didn’t properly manage his sugar levels, causing him to undergo mood swings.

After his arrest, attorneys say jail staff was informed of his condition and insulin requirements.

The complaint states he received his last dose of insulin just before 2 a.m. Sept. 27, then was not seen by medical staff for the next 19 hours. Other inmates told deputies that Bach’s “insulin pump was beeping and that his pump was empty,” but he was not treated or provided insulin, according to the complaint.

During this time, Bach’s wife received notifications informing her that her husband’s insulin pump was empty. When she tried to bring more insulin to the jail, she “was told he would be taken care of by the jail’s medical staff and deputies,” the lawsuit states.