In the late autumn of 2015, the life of 33-year-old Hispanic male Julio Cesar Montes was tragically cut short following a seemingly routine outing in Las Vegas, Nevada. On November 22, 2015, Montes, a resident of the Desert Regional Center, a state-run facility for individuals with developmental disabilities, attended a Special Olympics bowling event with other residents and staff.
The outing took a fatal turn during the van ride back to the center when an altercation broke out between Montes and another resident with whom he had a known competitive rivalry. Despite this history, staff members had seated them near each other.
During the fight, which staff were slow to break up as the van traveled on the freeway, Montes was struck in the head. After returning to the facility, his injuries were not deemed serious enough by staff to warrant advanced medical attention. Over the course of the evening, Montes's condition severely deteriorated. He reportedly vomited multiple times and appeared sluggish. He was later discovered unresponsive in his room, surrounded by blood and vomit. An ambulance was finally called, and Montes was transported to a hospital where he underwent brain surgery.
Despite the medical intervention, Julio Montes's injuries proved to be too severe. After several days in the hospital, he was moved to hospice care and passed away on December 4, 2015. The cause of his death was later ruled a homicide due to blunt force trauma to the head. A subsequent investigation by the state's Aging and Disability Services Division revealed significant failures on the part of the facility's staff, including a failure to protect clients from each other and a failure to recognize the gravity of Montes's medical condition. As a result of the incident, six staff members were placed on administrative leave. The state of Nevada later agreed to a $600,000 settlement with Montes's family to resolve a wrongful death lawsuit. It is not publicly known if any criminal charges were filed against the other resident involved in the altercation.
