A day after actor Kristoff St. John and his ex-wife sued a mental health facility where their son killed himself, the hospital released a statement saying the death was reviewed by state and local agencies that found the Long Beach facility in compliance with all licensing laws and regulations.
“The staff and management of La Casa Mental Health Rehabilitation Center want to express their deepest sympathies to the family of Julian St. John following his tragic suicide in November 2014,” according to the statement released by a public relations firm representing the facility.
“We believe it is important to state that the California Department of Health Care Services reviewed the case and on May 5, 2015, found that La Casa was in compliance with all applicable licensing laws and regulations,” the statement says. “Similarly, the Los Angeles Department of Mental Health concluded that Mr. St. John’s treatment and care at La Casa was reasonable and in line with clinical procedures, given his mental condition.”
Julian St. John, 24, was found dead with a bag over his head in a bathroom at the center on Nov. 23, less than three weeks after he attempted to kill himself in the same way, according to the lawsuit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court.
“The facility was aware of Julian’s history of suicidal ideation, but only placed him under one-on-one observation for approximately two weeks following his most recent suicide attempt,” the suit states.
Kristoff St. John, 48, a longtime cast member on “The Young and the Restless,” and his 47-year-old former spouse, boxer Mia St. John, are seeking unspecified damages.
The suit alleges nurses and staff members regularly skipped mandatory checks and observations of Julian St. John, and that facility employees regularly falsified documents to cover up their alleged neglect of the patient.
“Moreover, defendants’ employees made no attempt to prevent Julian from obtaining plastic bags after he tried to take his own life with one,” the suit says.
Julian St. John would still be alive if the employees followed the proper procedures, according to the lawsuit, which says he battled mental illness his entire life and had signs of autism at a young age.
He tried to kill himself by running into oncoming traffic last September, the suit says.
— City News Service