Amanda Corbala filed a civil complaint in the US District Court of Nevada on Tuesday alleging that the Clark County School District and one of its special education aides, Teresa Holve, bore responsibility for the death of her son, Cruzito Ruiz. Ruiz, who suffered a traumatic brain injury when he was three that left him physically and mentally disabled, was in a special education program at Bass Elementary School in Las Vegas. The eight-year-old was in the school cafeteria when he began choking on a piece of pineapple on February 25, 2025.
' Photos from surveillance footage show Ruiz attempting to pat his own back before gesturing towards his mouth while attempting to get Holve's attention. The Daily Mail reports that another student told the special education aide that the boy was sick, so she told him to go to the restroom. The next two images in the document show the special education aide pointing towards the exit of the cafeteria while the little boy is holding his chest, and Ruiz leaving the room through the doorway.
The complaint alleges that despite Holve knowing CPR, she did not use her training to identify that the boy was choking or help him in any way. After the eight-year-old arrived in the restroom alone, he collapsed and turned blue. About five minutes passed between Holve directing Ruiz out of the cafeteria and other staff members being alerted by students that the little boy needed help.
Those employees attempted to use an AED, but the device advised against using a shock because the boy's heartbeat had become irregular due to prolonged hypoxia. Staff called 911, and first responders arrived 15 minutes after Holve directed Ruiz out of the cafeteria. Emergency Medical Services removed the chunk of pineapple from the boy's airway with their fingers.
Ruiz was rushed to St. Rose Sienna Hospital, and his mother, Corbala, began shrieking in terror as she saw EMTs performing CPR as he was transported by stretcher. At the hospital, the unconscious boy was diagnosed with an anoxic brain injury.
Ruiz never regained consciousness and was declared brain dead. He died five days later on March 2, 2025. The specific legal grounds in the lawsuit have not been disclosed, and it is unknown if Teresa Holve or the Clark County School District has issued any public response.
The lawsuit is currently pending in federal court.