The family of late actor Robert Carradine has taken legal action against the Regents of the University of California, claiming that staffing problems at UCLA’s neuropsychiatric hospital contributed to his death.
Carradine died on February 23 at the age of 71 after suffering an anoxic brain injury linked to a suicide attempt while he was receiving care at UCLA’s Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital.
His children — daughters Ever and Marika, along with son Ian — have now filed a lawsuit alleging wrongful death, elder abuse and neglect against the university regents and unnamed defendants.
Court filings obtained by The Daily Mail state that Carradine checked himself into Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital twice within the same month. He was first released on January 9 after a seven-day stay, then returned on January 16 amid what the documents describe as a “manic episode suicidal ideation.”
According to the complaint, Carradine felt “relieved to be hospitalized” and believed that “additional inpatient treatment would” help ease his anxiety.
“But Robert’s hopes for successful treatment didn’t match the reality he had stepped into,” the lawsuit alleges. The filing claims that rather than entering a secure therapeutic setting, Carradine was placed in a locked psychiatric facility that violated a fundamental safety principle for a patient experiencing active suicidal thoughts and with a documented history of suicide attempts.
Robert Carradine’s family filed a wrongful death, elder abuse and neglect lawsuit against the University of California on Friday; he is pictured in 2024
Carradine pictured with his daughter Ever
Carradine’s children specifically highlighted that he was never stripped of a ‘belt,’ which is outlined as contraband, the complaint alleges.
‘The belongings form that UCLA generated from Robert’s admission shows the facility failed to confiscate his belt,’ the lawsuit alleged. ‘UCLA also left a rolling bedside table in his room, which was not a standard piece of furniture in the locked psych unit.’
The Daily Mail has reached out to UCLA and UC Regents for comment.
Carradine’s manner of death was ruled suicide in June.
He endured a long struggle with serious mental illness that his family has spoken about publicly.
Medical Examiner records state that the actor had a history of bipolar disorder, severe depression with psychotic features, anxiety and prior suicidal ideation.
‘None of this happened because UCLA lacked the knowledge, the policies or the means,’ the family’s lawsuit said. ‘It happened because UCLA took shortcuts with two safeguards that were meant to protect Robert’s life.’
Carradine’s children also claimed ‘no one watched him or checked on him for long periods of time despite orders to watch him every 15 minutes.’
‘The staff member assigned to watch Robert sat in a chair in the hallway and entered observations into an iPad without ever looking at him.
The actor (pictured in a 2013 King of the Nerds promotional still) died on February 23 from the effects of an anoxic brain injury caused by a suicide attempt while he was being treated at UCLA’s Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital
‘The iPad carried forward whatever information had last been entered, so that UCLA staff were allowed to click that they had checked on someone without ever looking at them. On paper, UCLA produced a perfect record, making it look like they were checking on suicidal patients every 15 minutes.
‘In reality, UCLA allowed staff to cut corners knowing that doing so placed its patients with suicidal ideation, including Robert at risk of suicide and death.’
Additionally, the filing stated UCLA ‘did not investigate reality’ and recorded ‘a version of events’ contradicted by video surveillance.
The plaintiffs are seeking general damages, special and economic damages, and wrongful damages.
According to the medical examiner’s investigative summary, Carradine voluntarily admitted himself to UCLA’s Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital on January 16, 2026 because he was experiencing suicidal thoughts.
Carradine played Hilary Duff’s TV dad on the Disney show Lizzie McGuire; L-R Jake Thomas, Duff, Carradine, and Hallie Todd pictured in 2001
Keith Carradine said there was ‘no shame’ in his brother’s suicide and described Robert’s death as the result of a long battle with mental illness; pictured in 2022
The following day, hospital staff found him unresponsive in his room after what investigators described as an apparent hanging involving a leather belt.
Medical personnel were able to restore circulation and Carradine was transferred to intensive care, where he remained hospitalized for more than five weeks.
His condition continued to deteriorate and he was pronounced dead on February 23.
The medical examiner’s report lists the cause of death as ‘sequelae of anoxic brain injury’ due to hanging. The report notes that no foul play was suspected.
Investigators interviewed family members as part of the inquiry into Carradine’s death.
Carradine had battled bipolar disorder, depression and psychosis for roughly two decades and had recently become increasingly depressed.
The records also indicate that Carradine had previously sought treatment for suicidal thoughts at the same facility.
Family members believed he had been discharged too early following an earlier hospitalization before he returned and admitted himself again in January.
He is survived by his three children – actress Ever Carradine, Marika Reed Carradine, and Ian Alexander Carradine.
