CHINO, Calif. — A kitchen supervisor at the California Institute for Men has filed a lawsuit alleging she suffered severe injuries after being attacked by an inmate while working inside the prison’s kitchen area.
The attack happened on Aug. 10, 2025, inside a walk-in freezer at the Chino facility, KABC reports. The lawsuit alleges the inmate attempted to sexually assault the employee before stabbing her in the neck.
The employee, identified in court filings as Jane Doe, sustained injuries that attorneys described as life-altering.
“That isn’t just a scar, it’s a daily reminder of her fight, of her pain, and her life is forever changed from that moment,” the employee’s sister said during a news conference announcing the lawsuit.
The lawsuit also alleges that a correctional officer assigned to the area failed to properly supervise the inmate and did not come to the employee’s aid during the attack.
Attorney Denisse Gastelum said the inmate was serving a sentence for assault with a deadly weapon and should not have been assigned to work in the kitchen where he had access to potentially dangerous tools.
According to Gastelum, the employee informed the officer that she would be entering the freezer area with the inmate and expected to be monitored.
“Letting him know, ‘Hey, I’m going to go into the freezer now with this prisoner. Watch me, have my back, supervise me.’ None of which he did,” Gastelum said.
Gastelum said other incarcerated individuals intervened to stop the attack.
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation declined to comment on the allegations, citing pending litigation, KABC reports.
The lawsuit seeks damages related to the employee’s injuries and the circumstances surrounding the attack.
