SLO County denies wrongdoing in death of Paso Robles teen at Crisis Stabilization Unit

The County of San Luis Obispo did not play a role in the death of a Paso Robles teen who died in May while receiving medical treatment at its Crisis Stabilization Unit, a Tuesday court filing claimed.

Elina Branco, 19, was found dead at the Crisis Stabilization Unit in San Luis Obispo on the morning of May 16, after her mother Linda Cooper brought her to the facility to be monitored following an overdose.

According to a September lawsuit filed by Cooper, Branco was dead for at least eight hours before the Crisis Stabilization Unit called for help — despite records showing Branco had been checked on at least five times overnight and found to be alive and well. In the lawsuit, Cooper claimed those records were falsified.

Cooper had taken her daughter to the unit to be monitored overnight after an overdose before she was expecting to drive her to receive substance abuse treatment.

San Luis Obispo County Health Agency spokesperson Tom Cuddy told The Tribune in September that the county was aware of the lawsuit but could not comment on pending litigation. Prior to that, he told The Tribune in June that the agency had been "deeply saddened" by Branco's death.

"Our thoughts and condolences are with the individual's loved ones during this difficult time," Cuddy said at the time. "No priority is more important to us than the safety and well-being of our clients and staff."

The county and Sierra Mental Wellness Group, the entity that runs the Crisis Stabilization Unit, have since denied all the allegations in the lawsuit, claiming they lacked knowledge of the claims made, according to the 33-page filing.

In its filing, the county claimed Cooper did not state sufficient facts to back up the allegations and that Cooper "unreasonably delayed" bringing legal action. Cooper also cannot receive any recovery because Cooper was not the person injured and she was not deprived of life, liberty or property, the filing said.

The filing said those sued by Cooper were acting in "good faith without improper motive, purpose, intent to injure or malice"

According to the court docket, a status conference was scheduled for Dec. 23.