Former adult entertainer Emily Willis has taken legal action against Summit Malibu, the rehabilitation center where she was seeking treatment for ketamine addiction, following serious complications during her stay. The 25-year-old actress, born Litzy Lara Banuelos, claims to be left "permanently disabled" after suffering cardiac arrest and enduring severe brain damage after her time at the facility.
Willis' family filed the lawsuit on December 27, 2024, at the Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleging multiple counts, including "abuse of a dependent adult, professional negligence, negligence, and fraudulent business practices." The tragic events began when she checked herself in on January 27, 2024, after battling severe addiction to ketamine for over a year, reportedly consuming up to five to six grams daily. She was known to struggle with significant mental health issues, including major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and PTSD.
According to the family’s attorney, James A. Morris Jr., Willis was found unconscious by a staff member on February 4, 2024. Paramedics performed CPR for 30 to 40 minutes following her cardiac arrest, but the prolonged lack of oxygen caused irreversible damage to her brain, resulting in her current semi-conscious state. "Had the staff adhered to standard medical protocols, Emily would have had a chance to regain control of her life," said Morris.
The specifics of her decline at the facility are troubling, with accusations from her family asserting she became increasingly "disheveled, frail, and disoriented." They allege she struggled with basic tasks such as walking, eating, and showering and exhibited several distressing physical symptoms, including aches, tremors, and extreme dehydration. Reports indicate her health had rapidly deteriorated prior to her cardiac arrest.
Unanswered questions surround how long Willis remained unattended before her collapse. The lawsuit contends the staff ignored clear signs of her declining health, allowing the situation to escalate dangerously. Morris highlighted, "No patient should endure such catastrophic failures in clinical care. Her health was neglected until it was too late, and her life is now irrevocably altered." These assertions paint a disturbing picture of the alleged neglect and mismanagement at Summit Malibu.
Her mother, Yesenia Lara Cooper, has claimed Willis looked unwell upon admission, weighing just 100 pounds. This raised significant alarms about her treatment at the facility, which allegedly never consulted with nutritionists or provided necessary medical oversight.
Despite initial drug tests showing no ketamine present during her intake, concerns over her treatment grew as no monitoring seemed viable, according to court documents. The lawsuit expresses bewilderment over how such neglect could occur, particularly emphasizing the vulnerability of Willis as she qualified as a dependent adult.
Upon her transfer to the care home in Utah following the incident, Willis has shown minimal improvement; she can now track movements with her eyes but remains unable to speak or move voluntarily. Reports describe her condition as akin to "locked-in syndrome," leaving her family deeply concerned about her future.
The legal action against Summit Malibu and its parent company, Malibu Lighthouse Treatment Centers, LLC, not only seeks to hold them accountable for the alleged failures but also aims to shed light on the treatment standards at similar rehabilitation facilities. Attorney Morris shared his hopes for the lawsuit, stating, "I hope this will spur real change in how treatment centers handle clinical care for vulnerable patients." He underscored the responsibility of such institutions to maintain proper medical oversight and care to prevent tragedies like Willis'.
The family is now pursuing damages against the facility for her debilitating condition, which they argue resulted from neglect, abandonment, and reckless behavior on the staff's part. The case against Summit Malibu reflects broader concerns about care quality and accountability within the rehabilitation industry.
Willis' experience serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers inherent within rehabilitation services when proper protocols are not followed. The family looks forward to justice for Emily, hoping their legal efforts can pave the way for improvements, ensuring no other patient suffers similar consequences.