Amanda Corbala, mother of 8-year-old Cruzito Tank Ruiz, filed a federal lawsuit in U.S. District Court of Nevada (March 2026) against Clark County School District and special education aide Teresa Holve at Bass Elementary School, alleging negligence led to her son’s death from choking on pineapple during lunch on February 25, 2025.
Incident Timeline
- Around 11:20 a.m., Cruzito (who had prior traumatic brain injury affecting physical/mental abilities) choked in the cafeteria, showing distress: hands to mouth, puffy cheeks, slapping his back, clutching chest.
- He approached Holve signaling for help; a student said he was “sick.” Instead of CPR or aid, Holve allegedly directed him alone to the boys’ restroom, ignoring signs and separating him from adults/nurse/AED.
- Surveillance footage shows Holve pointing toward the exit; she wiped up vomit/liquid after he left. No radio call, nurse alert, or 911 until ~5 minutes later when students found him collapsed, twitching, lips blue/purple.
- Staff applied AED (non-shockable rhythm from hypoxia); EMTs removed pineapple but he suffered anoxic brain injury, flatlined, and died March 2, 2025 (declared brain dead).
Key Allegations
- Holve’s conflicting statements: First denied noticing distress; later claimed he seemed unwell but redirected him mid-instruction.
- Actions created “foreseeable” mortal danger, violating CPR training and “deliberate indifference” to rights (constitutional/statutory/common law claims).
- Isolated him from resources; bathrooms unfit for adult intervention.
Attorneys seek extensive damages to prevent recurrence, calling it a “heartbreaking” loss. The family requests privacy amid grief. Case ongoing—highlights critical need for staff training on choking emergencies.
