Lawsuit alleges Chino prison employee was attacked by inmate; officers failed to protect her 

CHINO, Calif. (KABC) -- A kitchen supervisor at a men's prison in Chino has filed a lawsuit alleging she was violently attacked by an inmate last August, leaving her with life-altering injuries, according to statements made at a news conference.

The plaintiff also alleges that a correction officer assigned to the area failed to properly protect her and did not offer help after she was attacked.

"There's really no words that can describe what happened. I thought I lost my sister," said the plaintiff's sister.

The attack occurred on August 10, 2025 inside a walk-in freezer in the kitchen of the California Institute for Men in Chino. They accuse the inmate of attempting to sexually assault the victim, before stabbing her in the neck.

"That isn't just a scar, it's a daily reminder of her fight, of her pain, and her life is forever changed for that moment," she said.

Attorney Denisse Gastelum said the inmate was serving time for assault with a deadly weapon and should not have been assigned to work in the kitchen, where he had access to potentially dangerous tools.

Gastelum also alleged that a corrections officer failed to properly supervise or protect the supervisor, even after being informed she would be entering an unsupervised area with the inmate.

"Letting him know, hey, I'm going to go into the freezer now with this prisoner. Watch me, have my back, supervise me. None of which he did," Gastelum said.

She further claimed that other inmates intervened during the attack while the officer did not.

"I want to make sure that we are clear on this. It was other prisoners that had to come to Jane Doe's rescue while the correctional officer stayed there neglecting his duties," Gastelum said.

Another attorney, Toni Jaramilla, questioned the decisions surrounding the inmate's job assignment and the level of supervision in the facility.

"Why was it that a known felon who attacks women was placed in an area where there are kitchen tools with knives and other weapons," said Jaramilla. "Why was he placed there?

"Why wasn't there a correctional officer, maybe more than one, that will make sure Jane Doe is safe when she walks to the freezer to obtain items for the day? Why?" Jaramilla said.

The California Department of Corrections did not comment, citing pending litigation.