Family: Woman Died in Van After Police Had It Towed

A woman who was living in her van died after San Diego police had the vehicle towed away with her still in it, a legal claim says. The body of Monica Cameroni De Adams, 65, was found a month later in the van at an impound lot, the Guardian reports. Her daughter had reported De Adams missing when she didn't respond to birthday messages in November 2023. "The last place you would think to look for a missing person was inside of a car," said John Carpenter, the family's attorney, per KFMB.

A driver later arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence had crashed into De Adams' van, which was parked, and another vehicle on Nov. 5, leaving the van's rear door crushed and windows broken. When city police officers arrived, they had a private company tow the van. The medical examiner's report says De Adams died of blunt-force injuries; her family contends she could have survived if she'd received medical attention, per the Guardian. "It's just basic common decency that you would check to see what's inside a vehicle before you tow it away," Carpenter said, adding, "They buried her alive in her car."

De Adams' body was discovered on Dec. 6 when a worker at the tow yard reported a smell. A plea deal dropped the charge against Jordan Lopez, 25, from vehicular manslaughter to driving under the influence causing bodily injury. His blood alcohol level tested at 0.26, more than three times the legal limit for drivers. He faces a maximum of six years in prison when sentenced on March 19, per KFMB. The family's claim, the first step in a lawsuit, suggests the suit would seek $50 million. (More San Diego stories.)