MSD Lawyers Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit Following Death of 21-Year-Old Issac Charlton at Los Angeles Detox Facility

Lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court on behalf of decedent's mother, Heidi Coen

LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, May 7, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Mills Sadat Dowlat LLP ("MSD Lawyers") today filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of Heidi Coen, the mother of 21-year-old Issac Charlton, who died in May 2025 while undergoing inpatient detoxification at Simonds Detox in Granada Hills, California.

According to the complaint, Issac Charlton was 21 years old at the time of his admission to Simonds in May 2025. Five days after his formal admission, Issac was found unresponsive in his room at the facility. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner determined that his death was caused by the combined effects of fentanyl and diazepam.

The lawsuit alleges that a Simonds employee communicated with Issac before and during his admission and offered to supply him with controlled substances, and that the facility failed to enforce policies designed to prevent illicit substances from entering the program. According to the complaint, the same employee died of an overdose involving fentanyl, diazepam, and clonazepam approximately six months later, on November 6, 2025.

"Fentanyl entering a detox facility is a preventable 'never event,'" said Arash Sadat, founding partner at MSD Lawyers and lead counsel for the family. "Isaac's mother was able to sleep at night because she thought her son was safe. Little did she know Simonds' own employees were offering to supply Isaac with unauthorized drugs and that Simonds lacked even basic safeguards to protect its clients. Simonds' negligence cost a 21-year-old his life."

According to the complaint, the failures alleged in the case include:

*Employee Conduct: Text messages cited in the complaint allege that a Simonds staff member offered Issac Valium and other substances both before and during his admission, and instructed Issac to keep their communications hidden from other staff.

*Inadequate Testing: The complaint alleges that Simonds performed only limited drug and alcohol testing during Issac's stay.

*Failure to Respond to Observed Symptoms: The complaint alleges that nursing staff documented signs consistent with substance ingestion, including sedation, lethargy, delayed responses, and impaired functioning, and that those observations did not result in heightened monitoring or intervention.

*Policy Enforcement: The complaint alleges that Simonds did not enforce its own written policies prohibiting non-prescribed substances inside the facility.

The complaint asserts eight causes of action: wrongful death sounding in negligence, wrongful death sounding in professional negligence, survivorship, violation of the Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protective Act, negligent hiring, retention, and supervision, unfair competition, false advertising, and premises liability. Defendants named in the complaint include Simonds Detox, its CEO Karine Torosyan, the property owner, and seven licensed medical and clinical professionals affiliated with the facility. The filing seeks general, special, and punitive damages, along with restitution of fees paid for treatment, burial and funeral costs, and injunctive relief.

"Tragically, this is not an isolated incident," Sadat said. "Many rehab facilities in California are designed solely to make their owners rich, with little to no regard for client safety. Thousands of people die every year in rehab and a vast majority of these deaths, like this one, are preventable. This has to stop. Holding these facilities accountable is an important step in that direction."

Heidi Coen is represented by Arash Sadat, Camron Dowlatshahi, and Ruchika Diaz of Mills Sadat Dowlat LLP.

The complaint was filed in the Superior Court of California for the County of Los Angeles (Case No. 26CHCV01833).

Arash Sadat
MSD Lawyers
+1 213-628-3856
arash@msdlawyers.com
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