A lawsuit against Children’s Hospital Los Angeles has reached a conditional settlement, according to court papers filed by attorneys for a boy who was 3 when he suffered a cardiac arrest during sedation care. The filing notified Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Jerrold Abeles of the resolution but did not disclose financial terms. The case remains formally open, and the attorneys expect to seek dismissal once the settlement terms are finalized, the Los Angeles Daily News reported.
The boy’s guardian filed the lawsuit in September 2025. CHLA denied liability and said in court papers that its staff had proper consent for the care, treatment and procedures at issue, according to the Daily News.
Allegations in the lawsuit
The boy arrived at CHLA on May 21, 2025, after being transferred from Glendale Adventist Hospital for diagnostic testing related to suspected leukemia. He was later diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia. The lawsuit says an airway obstruction occurred during sedation care the next day, according to MyNewsLA and the Daily News.
The complaint alleges that a nurse used a hard plastic suction device connected to wall suction despite the child’s low platelet count and history of nosebleeds. It says the procedure led to laryngospasm, an obstructed airway, reduced oxygen and cardiac arrest. The suit also alleges that although a wall code-blue alarm was activated, a separate phone notification identifying the emergency’s location was delayed, according to the Daily News.
Injuries and proceedings
The lawsuit alleges that the child sustained a severe, permanent hypoxic brain injury. His attorneys say he has cerebral palsy, delayed muscle control and continuing expressive and receptive language delays, and is unlikely ever to work or live independently. According to the Daily News, he was discharged from CHLA on June 25, 2025, has remained at home with his parents, continues outpatient leukemia treatment and receives therapy for motor disabilities.
Leukemia and CHLA’s pediatric oncology work
For broader context, the National Cancer Institute lists a collaboration between Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center to develop an AI-powered diagnostic resource for pediatric oncology. The NCI’s SEER Cancer Stat Facts says the national rate of new childhood leukemia cases was 4.9 per 100,000 children per year based on 2019–2023 cases, and that childhood leukemia is most frequently diagnosed among children ages 1–4.
Earlier in the case, Judge Abeles rejected the family’s effort to block a subpoena seeking records from the boy’s preschool, ABC Academy, and allowed the defense to depose an academy representative. The judge also granted the family’s request for an expedited trial date of Aug. 31 over CHLA’s objections, MyNewsLA reported.
