Emily Willis was one of the biggest names in the adult film industry. But after suffering a near-fatal cardiac arrest last year while receiving rehabilitation treatment for her ketamine addiction, she has been left with what the doctors suspect to be locked-in-syndrome.
The true extent of Willis' health problems were revealed earlier this year, leading to the former adult film star's mother filing a lawsuit against Summit Malibu rehab centre - and there's recently been a new update.
Left suffering from suspected locked-in-syndrome, it is a rare disorder of the nervous system that leaves sufferers without the ability to move, with the exception of their eyes, and the occasional involuntary movements.
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Willis' mother, Yesenia Lara Cooper, filled a lawsuit against the clinic earlier this year. Now, the clinic is fighting the claim in the courts and looking to get it dismissed.
What happened to Emily Willis?
Willis, real name Litzy Lara Banuelos, checked into the Malibu rehab center on January 27, 2024, seeking help for her ketamine addiction.
After taking five to six grams of the drug daily, she had been left with some serious side-effects, including urinary incontinence and night terrors. She had reportedly also been suffering from major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder and PTSD, alongside her addiction to the ketamine.
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According to the lawsuit, Emily's health quickly deteriorated as she started to suffer with hot and cold chills, tremors, increased heart rate, headaches, feeling 'disorientated', difficulty walking, and vaginal pain.
Shortly after, Willis was found unconscious at the rehab clinic, leading to nurses and paramedics administering CPR for around 40 minutes, until she regained a pulse.
The ordeal left Willis in a vegetive state, where she can no longer move her body or speak, but is conscious and able to move to track with her eyes. She is thought to have a condition known as locked-in-syndrome, a condition where only a few have ever fully recovered.
Why was a legal case launched against Willis' rehab centre?
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The lawsuit, filed on 27 December last year, claims that Willis was left with inadequate care that resulted in her being 'permanently disabled'.
Court records state that Summit Malibu and its parent company Malibu Lighthouse Treatment Centers subjected Willis to adult abuse, negligence and unlawful, unfair or fraudulent business practices.
Her family have claimed that staff had failed to provide 'safe conditions' as well as 'proper care' which led to Willis being found unconscious on 4 February, 2024, following a cardiac arrest.
The suite alleges: “Had the staff followed standard medical protocols, Emily would have had the opportunity to regain control of her life.” It claims her 'health was ignored until it was too late'.
The family have claimed that the alleged negligence has left the former adult star with 'irreversible brain damage, permanent physical and mental incapacity, pain and emotional distress—among other damages'.
What is the latest in the legal case and when can we expect an update?
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Summit Malibu and its parent company Malibu Lighthouse Treatment Centers are fighting the case.
In a recent development, the clinic and its parent company have filled something called a hearing on demurrer with motion to strike, which will be heard on 18 June in Santa Monica Courthouse, California.
For those not used to legal terminology, essentially they have requested for specific parts or even the entire pleading to be removed.
A motion to strike is usually filled when a defendant believes that the legal case, or at least parts of it are too weak to meet the legal threshold.
On top of this, a Case Management Conference is also being heard on the same date. These are early hearings which help the court fully understand the dispute and consider if any aspects of it can be narrowed down before an official trail is set.
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With both a Case Management Conference and the hearing to review the motion to strike set for mid-June, it looks like Summit Malibu and its parent company Malibu Lighthouse Treatment Centers are looking to reduce the damage caused by the case, and have parts, if not all of the case thrown out.
It's unlikely we will find out more until these hearing go ahead.
Topics: Adult Industry, Emily Willis, Health, US News, Crime, Viral
Kegan Marquez