Full Breakdown
San Francisco Settles Lawsuit Over Missing Skull Incident
4/16/2026, 3:11:26 AM
Allegations of Misconduct and Retaliation
San Francisco has agreed to pay $750,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by Sonia Kominek-Adachi, a former autopsy technician at the city’s medical examiner’s office. The lawsuit stemmed from her claims that she was fired for raising concerns about a missing human skull, which she alleged may have been discarded by her supervisor, David Serrano Sewell. The incident occurred during an internal inventory in 2023 when Kominek-Adachi discovered the skull was unaccounted for while cataloging body parts that were required to be kept until the deceased's identity could be confirmed.
According to the lawsuit, the skull belonged to an unidentified man whose body was found near a homeless encampment at Lake Merced in 2014. The remains had been encased in a clay facial reconstruction, which could have assisted in identifying the deceased. Kominek-Adachi contended that her concerns were met with retaliation, including a request for a polygraph test and increased scrutiny of her background, ultimately leading to her termination from her temporary position.
Official Responses and Settlement Justification
City officials have disputed Kominek-Adachi's claims regarding the disposal of the skull, asserting that the remains never left the medical examiner’s office. However, a spokesperson for the City Attorney’s Office acknowledged that the settlement was deemed appropriate due to the potential costs and risks associated with prolonged litigation.
In addition to her claims about the missing skull, Kominek-Adachi alleged that Sewell exhibited discriminatory behavior towards women in the workplace, including passing over female staff for promotions and making demeaning remarks. Her attorney, James Urbanic, expressed relief at the resolution of the dispute but noted that her termination would negatively impact her future career opportunities in the field.
Broader Implications
The case highlights issues of workplace conduct and the treatment of employees who report misconduct. The settlement, approved unanimously by city supervisors, reflects a growing recognition of the need to address workplace retaliation and discrimination claims seriously.
Verbatim Quotes
- “her termination is a terrible black mark on her ability to continue to work in her field.” — James Urbanic, Attorney for Sonia Kominek-Adachi
- “The skull was a critical element” — Sonia Kominek-Adachi, Former Autopsy Technician
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
While city officials maintain that the skull was never discarded, Kominek-Adachi's lawsuit raises significant concerns about the handling of evidence and the treatment of whistleblowers within the medical examiner's office. The discrepancy between the city’s assertions and Kominek-Adachi's claims remains unresolved, indicating a potential gap in transparency regarding internal practices.
This incident underscores the complexities surrounding workplace dynamics, particularly in sensitive environments such as medical examination offices, where the handling of remains is critical to both legal and ethical standards.
