Full Breakdown
$3 Million Settlement for Former Adult Star After Fatal Rehab Incident
7/18/2026, 12:55:03 PM
Core Event
Litzy Lara Banuelos, known professionally as Emily Willis, received a $3 million settlement after a lawsuit alleged that Summit Malibu, a Malibu-based rehabilitation center, failed to provide adequate care when she suffered a cardiac arrest on 4 February 2024. The arrest caused an anoxic brain injury that left her unable to move independently, able only to open her eyes intermittently and communicate through grunts. Because Banuelos cannot manage her own affairs, Santa Monica Superior Court Judge Susan Bryant-Deason approved the settlement on her behalf.
Background & Context
Banuelos, 27, entered Summit Malibu seeking treatment for a severe ketamine dependence, reportedly consuming “five to six grams” daily. Prior to the incident, she was a prominent adult-film performer, named Penthouse Pet of the Month (May 2019) and winner of the Adult Video News Female Performer of the Year award (2021). Her mother, Yesenia Lara Cooper, filed the lawsuit in December 2024, alleging negligence, abandonment, and recklessness by the facility.
Timeline
- 4 Feb 2024 – Banuelos found unconscious; CPR performed for 30–40 minutes before a pulse returned.
- Dec 2024 – Cooper files suit against Summit Malibu and parent Malibu Lighthouse Treatment Centers.
- July 2024 – Judge Bryant-Deason signs off on the $3 million settlement after Banuelos’s attorneys reduce requested legal fees from $1.2 million to $1 million.
Data & Statistics
- Settlement amount: $3 million.
- Attorney-fee request reduced from $1.2 million to $1 million.
- CPR duration: 30–40 minutes before pulse restoration.
- Medical outcome: irreversible anoxic brain injury, resulting in severe paralysis and limited responsiveness.
Official Statements & Responses
Summit Malibu maintained that its staff lacked legal authority to compel outside medical treatment and asserted there was “no evidence its employees acted negligently,” emphasizing that Banuelos was “regularly monitored” during her stay. Attorney James A. Morris Jr. filed a court declaration noting the case was “far from straightforward” and that “no one knows exactly what triggered her medical crisis” given her fragile condition upon admission.
Criticism & Opposition
Legal counsel for Banuelos argued that “Had the staff followed standard medical protocols, Emily would have had the opportunity to regain control of her life,” urging systemic reform in rehab-center emergency procedures. Critics highlight the broader risk that “Too many patients who should be receiving life-saving interventions are being lost to negligence,” calling for stricter oversight of addiction-treatment facilities.
On-the-Ground Reports
Court filings describe Banuelos as “profoundly incapacitated,” noting she “occasionally opens her eyes or grunts” but cannot consistently respond to stimuli. Observers describe her condition as akin to locked-in syndrome, where mental awareness persists despite near-total paralysis.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Summit Malibu’s defense claims Banuelos “refused to go to urgent care or the hospital voluntarily, despite being encouraged to do so,” suggesting patient refusal contributed to the outcome. The plaintiffs counter that staff ignored critical signs of dehydration, infection, and physical distress, leading to the fatal event. No independent medical review has been disclosed, leaving the precise cause of the crisis unresolved.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Having lived and breathed this case for nearly two years, I can state with confidence that Ms. Banuelos is significantly injured, but that this case was no slam dunk.” — James A. Morris Jr., Attorney
- “She refused to go to urgent care or the hospital voluntarily, despite being encouraged to do so.” — Summit Malibu’s legal team
- “We had a really great friendship and relationship, but she had her own struggles, and she recently, while at rehab, fell into a coma, and she's been in a vegetative state.” — Mike Majlak, former partner
- “No patient should ever be subjected to such a horrendous breakdown in clinical care.” — Banuelos’s attorney (court filing)
- “Had the staff followed standard medical protocols, Emily would have had the opportunity to regain control of her life.” — Banuelos’s legal representative
The settlement concludes the lawsuit but underscores ongoing concerns about emergency response standards in addiction-treatment centers.
