Attorneys for a Malibu rehab center and the mother of former adult performer Emily Willis say they have struck a tentative agreement to resolve a lawsuit over Willis’ 2024 medical emergency. The conditional deal has been placed on the court record and, if it sticks, could wrap up a closely watched case that accused the facility of negligent care. For now, neither side is talking about the terms.
Lawyers for Summit Malibu notified Santa Monica Superior Court Judge Mark A. Young on Feb. 24 that they had reached a “conditional accord” and said they expect to request a dismissal by Sept. 1, according to MyNewsLA. The filing did not include dollar amounts or other conditions, and the court docket does not yet show a formal dismissal motion. The notice came from the defense team rather than from the family’s attorneys.
The lawsuit was filed in December 2024 by Yesenia Lara Cooper, the mother and legal guardian of Litzy Lara Banuelos, who performed under the name Emily Willis. It alleges that Summit Malibu’s care left Banuelos with irreversible brain damage after she went into cardiac arrest while in treatment. Banuelos had checked into the facility for help with a ketamine addiction, and the family’s filings say her condition worsened in early February 2024. Those background facts and the central claims have already been laid out in national reporting.
In separate court papers, Summit Malibu’s attorneys rejected the accusations, asserting that Banuelos “refused to follow medical recommendations and take her medications” and that staff did not have the authority to force her to seek urgent-care or hospital treatment, according to court summaries. AVN reports that the defense also maintains the facility regularly monitored Banuelos and that there is no evidence that staff negligently failed to act.
Allegations and legal claims
The complaint accuses Summit Malibu and its parent company of dependent-adult abuse, professional negligence, and related business-practice violations, and seeks damages for what Cooper describes as permanent physical and mental incapacity. The suit leans on medical and incident notes that the family says show delays or failures in clinically responding to Banuelos’ decline while she was at the center. Those alleged gaps in care are at the heart of the family’s push for accountability and compensation.
What comes next
With the conditional accord now on file, the next formal move would be a motion to dismiss if both sides follow the defense timetable. If a dismissal request is submitted and granted, the lawsuit could end without a trial. If the deal falls apart, the case could shift back toward discovery and contested hearings. For the moment, the confidential terms stay off the public record, and the brief court notice stands as the clearest sign that the parties are edging toward resolution.
The case has drawn attention both because of Banuelos’ prominence in the adult-entertainment world and because it underscores broader questions about how voluntary treatment centers handle acute medical crises. Family members continue to care for Banuelos while medical and legal questions remain unresolved, and how much more the public learns from here will likely depend on any additional court filings or statements made to the judge.
