San Gabriel family suing after LASD deputies enter home, handcuff teens

SAN GABRIEL, Calif. (KABC) -- A San Gabriel mother is suing the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department after she claims deputies wrongfully entered her home and detained her children for no reason.

Home surveillance cameras caught the incident.

When Ceidy Cordova went to get breakfast on Oct. 22, her children, ages 14 and 19, were home by themselves.

Sheriff's deputies showed up at their apartment complex going door-to-door after getting a call about a disturbance. Ceidy's older daughter, Alaiza Cordova, says the deputies let themselves in through an open door.

"I had just got home and my brother was cleaning the house," Alaiza says. "He was watching the dogs. There was nothing going on. It was a regular day."

Video from a Blink system shows deputies speaking with Alaiza and holding her hands behind her back. Then you hear her mom trying to get their attention through the camera system.

"I was trying to tell them my mom's not home," she says. "I even showed them that she's trying to talk to you from the camera but they didn't care."

Alaiza was put in handcuffs. As her brother tries to record, a deputy grabs his phone. Then they push him up against the building and put him in handcuffs.

When Ceidy and her husband arrive back to the house, they're recording. When they ask to speak with the watch commander, they detain her husband.

The Cordova family says they've reached out to sheriff's department officials with more questions but haven't heard back. They posted the Blink video on TikTok to try to get help.

After getting an overwhelming response, they're now suing the sheriff's department.

"I really really want to pursue justice on behalf of this family who has been so terrified and traumatized," said attorney Narine Mkrtchyan.

The LASD declined on-camera comment to Eyewitness News but released a statement that read in part:

"...deputies announced their presence and attempted to explain the nature of the call, but the occupants were uncooperative and refused to comply. After several attempts to have the occupants of the residence exit the location to ascertain if anyone was injured inside, the deputies made entry and a use of force against a juvenile occurred..."

"I see their frustration and emotionally that they're not OK," says Ceidy Cordova.