Emily Willis Brain Damage: Family Sues Rehab Center for Negligence
Emily Willis, the adult film star, is now in a vegetative state after suffering permanent brain damage at a rehabilitation center. Her family has filed a lawsuit against the Malibu Lighthouse Treatment Centers, alleging negligence, adult abuse, and fraudulent practices. The case highlights a tragic breakdown in care that has left Willis with irreversible injuries, including a rare neurological condition known as “locked-in syndrome.”
Emily Willis Brain Damage: A Tragic Outcome at Malibu Rehab Center
Emily Willis was admitted to the Malibu Lighthouse Treatment Centers on January 27, 2024, seeking treatment for her addiction to ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic drug. Her family claims she was consuming 5 to 6 grams of the drug daily and was also struggling with multiple health issues, including bladder inflammation, night terrors, anxiety, and PTSD. Despite her fragile condition, the lawsuit alleges that the facility failed to provide adequate care, leading to her rapid decline.
During her stay, Willis developed a urinary tract infection, became severely dehydrated, and experienced intense pain. The lawsuit claims she was repeatedly denied care by physicians and left unattended for long periods. Her family alleges that the staff failed to provide “safe conditions” and “proper care,” violating the facility’s own intake policies.
Negligence and Denial of Care
On February 4, 2024, just over a week after her admission, a nurse found Willis unconscious in her room. The nurse immediately called 911 and began performing CPR. Paramedics arrived and continued CPR for 30 to 40 minutes before they were able to restore her heartbeat. However, the prolonged oxygen deprivation left her in a coma.
The lawsuit alleges that staff at the facility left Willis unattended for “excessively long periods of time,” which contributed to her being found unconscious. Her family claims that the facility’s negligence directly led to her irreversible brain damage.
Emily Willis Brain Damage: Locked-In Syndrome Diagnosis
Twenty-six hours after her collapse, Willis suffered a heart attack, which left her in a vegetative state. She now suffers from “locked-in syndrome,” a rare neurological condition that has left her completely paralyzed except for the ability to move her eyes. She is unable to communicate and is currently receiving care at a specialized facility in Utah.
Her family describes her condition as a “living nightmare,” adding that she will require lifelong care due to the severity of her injuries. The lawsuit alleges that the rehab center’s negligence caused Willis to sustain “irreversible brain damage, permanent physical and mental incapacity, pain, and emotional distress—among other damages.”
Family Seeks Justice for Emily Willis Brain Damage
Yesenia Lara Cooper, Willis’ mother and conservator, filed the lawsuit on December 27, 2024, in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Cooper claims that her daughter appeared visibly underweight at 100 pounds during her stay at the rehab center but was never referred to a dietitian or provided with proper nutritional care.
The lawsuit accuses Summit Malibu and its parent company, Malibu Lighthouse Treatment Centers, of adult abuse, negligence, and engaging in unlawful, unfair, or fraudulent business practices. “Had the staff followed standard medical protocols, Emily would have had the opportunity to regain control of her life,” the lawsuit states. “No patient should ever be subjected to such a horrendous breakdown in clinical care. Her health was ignored until it was too late, and now her life is forever changed.”
Calls for Accountability and Transparency
