Death of 72-year-old Brentwood woman after forcible arrest will be subject of coroner's inquest
The 2025 death of a 72-year-old woman in Brentwood who had a medical emergency after being forcibly placed into police custody will be the subject of a formal inquiry, authorities said.
The Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office said on Wednesday that Sheriff-Coroner David Livingston would hold a coroner's inquest into the death of Yolanda Ramirez, who died in October 2025 several days after being arrested.
On Sept. 26, 2025, Ramirez was placed under citizen's arrest at the request of a family member and attempted to leave the scene, according to the Brentwood Police Department. Police bodycam video showed officers forcing a non-compliant Ramirez into handcuffs and into the back of a police vehicle, where she appeared to experience a medical emergency.
Ramirez was taken to a hospital and died seven days later, with the coroner's office ruling the death from natural causes. The Ramirez family filed a wrongful death claim, saying she "was violently arrested by multiple Brentwood Police Officers, resulting in her death."
A second independent autopsy requested by the Ramirez family determined her cause of death was a homicide and cited multiple blunt-force injuries to her head and torso, as well as asphyxiation caused by police restraint.
"Officers failed to notify the EMTs that they violently struck Mrs. Ramirez's head into the car window, thereby obstructing and delaying her medical diagnosis," said civil rights attorney Melissa Nold in the complaint.
The Sheriff's Office said the inquest proceedings were scheduled for July 15, 9 a.m. at the Wakefield Taylor Courthouse in Martinez.
The inquest, which will present facts of the incident to a jury for a finding on the manner of death, is open to the public.