SAN DIEGO — The family of Hayden Schuck, a 22-year-old who died from dehydration inside San Diego’s Central Jail in March 2022, is accusing the Sheriff’s Office of deliberately deleting crucial surveillance video that could have provided evidence of negligence surrounding his death.
Just a month after Schuck’s tragic passing, which was attributed to severe dehydration while incarcerated, attorneys for his family notified the Sheriff’s Office to preserve video footage from outside his cell during the six days he was held.
However, they allege that over two days of potentially significant video were lost, which may have depicted deputies neglecting Schuck, who was reportedly in severe medical distress during his time in jail.
In response, the Sheriff’s Office contends that the surveillance cameras did not capture any relevant footage during the 57 hours that Schuck was suffering from dehydration and withdrawal symptoms.
Attorney Tim Scott stated, “The destruction of key surveillance video is, unfortunately, something we see time and again in these jail-death cases.”
The legal proceedings concerning Schuck’s death have been ongoing for over two years, with court filings revealing that the family is seeking sanctions against the county for the deletion of evidence critical to their case.
Schuck was arrested on March 10, 2022, following a car accident on the Interstate 8 on-ramp after attempting to return home from a surfing trip in Ocean Beach.
He was charged with driving under the influence of drugs and possession of an unmarked firearm, leading to his transport to the UC San Diego Medical Center for observation post-booking.
A Medical Examiner’s investigation noted that Schuck’s blood pressure measured at 142 over 102, indicating stage 2 hypertension, yet he was deemed
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