Nevada Mother Files Lawsuit Over Son's Tragic Choking Death at School
A Nevada mother has initiated legal action against her special needs son's school district and one of its employees, asserting that the eight-year-old boy did not receive necessary assistance when he choked to death on a piece of pineapple. Amanda Corbala lodged a civil complaint in the US District Court of Nevada on Tuesday, contending that the Clark County School District and special education aide Teresa Holve are accountable for the demise of her son, Cruzito Ruiz.
Background of the Incident
According to the legal filing, Ruiz sustained a traumatic brain injury at the age of three, resulting in physical and mental disabilities. He was enrolled in a special education program at Bass Elementary School, situated on the southern periphery of Las Vegas. The tragic event unfolded on February 25, 2025, when the eight-year-old began choking on a chunk of pineapple in the school cafeteria.
As he choked, Ruiz approached Holve and attempted to signal for help by gesturing with his hands, displaying obvious signs of distress including puffy cheeks. Another student informed the special education aide that the boy was unwell, prompting Holve to direct him to the boys' restroom, as per the court documents.
Surveillance Evidence and Alleged Negligence
Photographs from surveillance footage included in the complaint depict Ruiz patting his own back and gesturing toward his mouth while trying to capture Holve's attention. Subsequent images show the aide pointing toward the cafeteria exit as the young boy holds his chest, with Ruiz then exiting through the doorway.
The complaint asserts that despite Holve being trained in CPR, she failed to utilize her skills to recognize the choking incident or provide any aid. After Ruiz entered the restroom alone, he collapsed and turned blue. Approximately five minutes elapsed between Holve's directive and other staff members being alerted by students that the child required assistance.
Emergency Response and Fatal Outcome
Employees attempted to use an automated external defibrillator (AED), but the device advised against administering a shock due to the boy's irregular heartbeat caused by prolonged hypoxia—a condition where organs are deprived of oxygen. Staff contacted emergency services, and first responders arrived fifteen minutes after Ruiz was directed out of the cafeteria. Emergency Medical Services personnel removed the pineapple piece from his airway manually.
Ruiz was transported to St Rose Sienna Hospital, where his mother, Corbala, witnessed EMTs performing CPR on him as he was carried on a stretcher, leading her to shriek in terror. At the hospital, the unconscious boy was diagnosed with an anoxic brain injury, which occurs when the brain is entirely deprived of oxygen, causing brain cells to begin dying after four minutes.
Ruiz never regained consciousness and was declared brain dead, passing away five days later on March 2, 2025.
Legal Allegations and Inconsistent Accounts
The lawsuit accuses Holve of providing conflicting narratives when questioned about the incident. On the day of the choking, she reportedly submitted a written statement indicating she did not recall releasing the boys for the bathroom but might have due to daily routines, and she did not notice any distress. The following day, Holve allegedly stated that Ruiz appeared unwell with puffed cheeks, leading her to believe he needed to spit out liquid, and she instructed him to go to a trash can rather than the bathroom.
The legal action charges the Clark County School District with placing Ruiz in a position of particularized danger he would not have otherwise faced and with committing abuse or neglect of a vulnerable person. It further alleges the district failed to adequately train Holve for medical emergencies and accuses the aide of acting with deliberate indifference to a known risk.
By isolating the child in a restroom, Holve restricted Ruiz's access to adult assistance, immediate supervision, and timely emergency interventions such as CPR and Heimlich maneuvers, the complaint contends. Had Ruiz remained in the supervised cafeteria with readily available adult help, his chances of survival and meaningful recovery would have been significantly higher.
The Daily Mail has sought comments from Holve, the Clark County School District, and Corbala's attorneys regarding the lawsuit.
