Soap Star Alleges Neglect at Long Beach Hospital Where Son Killed Himself

Six months after actor Kristoff St. John’s son took his own life in a bathroom at a Long Beach mental health hospital, “The Young and The Restless” star and his ex-wife filed a wrongful death/negligence lawsuit today against the parent company of the facility where their son died.

Julian St. John, 24, was found dead with a bag over his head in a bathroom at La Casa Mental Health Rehabilitation Center on Nov. 23, less than three weeks after he attempted to kill himself in the same way, according to the lawsuit filed against Alameda-based Telecare Corp.

“The facility was aware of Julian’s history of suicidal ideation, but only placed him under one-on-one observation for approximately two weeks following his most recent suicide attempt,” the suit states.

Kristoff St. John, 48, and his 47-year-old former spouse, boxer Mia St. John, are seeking unspecified damages.

A Telecare representative did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the suit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court.

The suit alleges nurses and staff members regularly skipped mandatory checks and observations of Julian St. John, and that facility employees regularly falsified documents to cover up their alleged neglect of the patient.

“Moreover, defendants’ employees made no attempt to prevent Julian from obtaining plastic bags after he tried to take his own life with one,” the suit says.

Julian St. John would still be alive if the employees followed the proper procedures, according to the lawsuit, which says he battled mental illness his entire life and had signs of autism at a young age.

He tried to kill himself by running into oncoming traffic last September, the suit says.

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City News Service