WATCH: Police Bodycam Video Released In Death Of 72-Year-Old Woman After Arrest

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA — Police in Brentwood have released body camera, in-car video, and 911 audio an incident involving 72-year-old Yolanda Ramirez, whose death has prompted a wrongful-death lawsuit and calls for police accountability.

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The 47 minutes of recordings, released by the Brentwood Police Department after being shared with Ramirez’s family, show officers Danielle Tjhia and Aaron Peachman responding to what authorities said began as a family dispute between Ramirez and relatives on Sept. 26, 2025.

The footage captures interactions as Ramirez attempts to leave the scene and says she does not want to provide identifying information. She had not been told that she was arrested.

Officers eventually restrain and handcuff her before placing her into a patrol SUV while bystanders record portions of the encounter from nearby porches and sidewalks.

According to the newly released recordings, Ramirez repeatedly tells officers she does not want to be interrogated and tries to walk away. At one point, Tjhia warns Ramirez that she will be arrested if she does not comply. When she goes limp instead of getting into the police SUV, the two officers push and pull her into the back seat.

Minutes later, the video shows Ramirez slumped over in the back seat, sweating and largely unresponsive, while the officers continue asking her questions. Roughly five minutes in the SUV, she goes limp and slumps over. During the exchange, Peachman asks whether Ramirez had been combative. Tjhia said Ramirez had been passive.

Ramirez’s family has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the City of Brentwood and the officers, alleging excessive force contributed to her death. An independent autopsy commissioned by the family with help from an initiative founded by former NFL player Colin Kaepernick found significant injuries and signs of asphyxiation.

Police said Ramirez was briefly detained and later released for medical care at the scene, though the newly released footage shows her remaining in the patrol vehicle as officers attempt to get her to respond. An officer told paramedics that Ramirez was being released from custody as she was being moved into an ambulance.

Ramirez was first taken to Kaiser Permanente Antioch Medical Center and later transferred to John Muir Hospital for emergency surgery to repair a brain bleed. She never regained consciousness and died on Oct. 3.

The county coroner found that Ramirez died of a stroke. Ramirez had diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, and obesity, according to coroner's report, which attributed these factors to her death. In contrast, the independent autopsy reported a prominent contusion to Ramirez's head and fractures to the base her skull, as well as contusions consistent with blunt force trauma and asphyxiation. Looking at the injuries, that examiner concluded that restraint, pressure, and stress combined to cause Ramirez’s death.

Policing expert Michael Leninger told NBC Bay Area he saw no clear reason for officers to use physical force during the encounter. “What in the world would you go hands-on with her? Makes no sense at all,” he said.

Brentwood’s police chief said he could not comment on the incident due to pending litigation and an ongoing investigation in Contra Costa County.

MORE: 2 Autopsies, 2 Very Different Conclusions: How A 72-Year-Old Grandmother Died After Arrest In Brentwood