CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — 15 families have given Nueces County and County Judge Barbara Canales notice that they intend to sue over issues at the Nueces County Medical Examiner's Office.
That notice came in the form of a letter from Gowan Elizondo LLP, who is representing the 15 families alongside the Law Office of Ralph M. Rodriguez.
According to the letter, which was sent Thursday, the 15 families are suing for damages sustained as a result of negligence by Nueces County and issues that came to light earlier this year about the Medical Examiner Office.
It was back in January when former Deputy Medical Examiner Sandra Lyden was fired for not having a valid medical license. She was eventually arrested and charged with tampering with government records with the intent to defraud or harm another person.
Her boss, former Medical Examiner Adel Shaker, was also arrested. He was charged with tampering or falsifying a government record, unauthorized practice of medicine, and abuse of a corpse.
The claim sent by Gowan Elizondo lists several of the damages reportedly sustained by their clients, including but not limited to negligent handling of remains, non-compliant or substandard procedures in which a body was treated, falsified causes of death, and more.
3NEWS reached out to Nueces County Attorney Jenny Dorsey on Friday. She said she did not believe it would be appropriate to comment on pending litigation.
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