Father Files Federal Lawsuit After Son Dies from Heroin Withdrawal in DuPage County Jail

The father of a 21-year-old man has filed a federal lawsuit against jailers in DuPage County who he claims should have known his son was experiencing heroin withdrawal symptoms before he died while in custody. Sebastiono Ceraulo died while at the DuPage County jail on Jan. 7 of an electrolyte imbalance and dehydration, according to a lawsuit filed Monday.

Sebastiano was taken into custody on Jan. 4 due to a probation violation, which was the result of a positive drug test, the Daily Herald reports. The violation lead a DuPage County judge to revoke Sebastiano’s bail on prior burglary charges.

He was in jail from Jan 4 until his death on Jan. 7 and his condition ”continued deteriorating each day” as he “exhibited obvious opiate withdrawal symptoms to the extent that it was readily apparent to the individual defendants that he was in serious need of medical attention,” according to the lawsuit.

Sebastiano’s father, Totuccio Ceraulo, of unincorporated Lombard, filed the lawsuit.

You can read more in the Daily Herald article and in the lawsuit, which is also posted on the Daily Herald website.