In an exclusive interview with ABC 10 News, Kristina Frost recounted her horrifying experience of being brutally assaulted while in a San Diego County jail back in November 2020. At the time, Frost was arrested for a misdemeanor DUI offense and subsequently placed in the main intake area for men in San Diego County, despite having a valid driver's license identifying her as female.
According to Frost, she was initially placed in a holding cell by herself but was then, against her wishes, moved to a cell with three men. She recounted that one of the men violently woke her up, beating her so severely that she suffered two jaw fractures. A lawsuit, reported here on the San Deigo Union-Tribune, she filed against the San Diego County Sheriff's Department alleged that, after the attack, she was not provided proper medical care and was left in a cell on her own for hours. The county ultimately agreed to pay Frost a $275,000 settlement without admitting liability for her injuries.
In the interview, Frost emphasized the inhumanity she experienced, stating, "The broken jaw was one thing, but the inhumanity was another, and that's what bothered me the most." Her attorneys argued that the Sheriff's Department violated her civil rights by placing her in a cell with three men, which was against their policy. The County's Citizens' Law Enforcement Review Board (CLERB) also took issue with Frost being placed in a cell with three men and sustained a complaint about the incident.
Despite the department's claim to have updated its policies regarding the housing of transgender, intersex, and non-binary incarcerated persons since November 2018, Frost's attorneys questioned whether those policies were effectively working. In a statement to ABC 10 News and posted to their YouTube, the Sheriff's Department said, "The Sheriff's Department will always continue to evaluate its policies to enhance the safety and security of all incarcerated individuals entrusted into our detention facilities."
Frost's story has raised concerns about how incarcerated transgender people are treated in jails and their safety while in custody. Even though the Sheriff's Department may have policies in place, Frost's case is an example of the need for constant evaluation and improvement. CLERB recommended the department revise its policies to mandate arrestees be taken to facilities that coincide with their gender identity, but the Sheriff's Department rejected this recommendation, arguing that they believe they are already taking appropriate steps in handling transgender arrestees.
The case also brought attention to the broader issue of violence against transgender individuals, which has been increasing in recent years. Despite reaching a settlement with the county, Frost remains concerned about the violence faced by other transgender people. She told ABC 10 News, "I want the next person to not have to go through what I went through."
Frost has since settled her lawsuit with the County of San Diego, and the Sheriff's Department could not comment on the settlement. According to her LinkedIn profile, Frost has a background in quality assurance, after pursuing education in Alcohol & Drug Studies and Psychology at San Diego State University.
