Robert Carradine Family Sues UCLA Hospital Over Wrongful Death Claim

The family of actor Robert Carradine filed a civil lawsuit against the University of California regents, alleging wrongful death, elder abuse, and neglect at UCLA's psychiatric facility. The complaint says Carradine was admitted to a locked psychiatric unit while experiencing active suicidal thoughts, but the hospital failed to remove a belt—listed as contraband in its own policy—and left a rolling bedside table in his room, both of which could facilitate self‑harm.

The filing asserts that staff did not perform the required 15‑minute checks, allowing Carradine to take his own life 19 hours after admission. He suffered an anoxic brain injury, spent five weeks in intensive care, and died on February 23, 2026. The suit seeks general, special, and economic damages, claiming UCLA took shortcuts that directly led to his death.

The lawsuit also contends that UCLA’s records misrepresented events, contradicting surveillance video, and that the institution failed to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.