SAN DIEGO — The family of Monica Cameroni De Adams, a 65-year-old homeless woman, has filed a $50 million claim against the city of San Diego, alleging that police negligence led to her death. De Adams was discovered dead in her van at a tow yard on December 6, 2023, a month after a drunk driver hit the vehicle.
On November 5, 2023, De Adams was sleeping inside her 2001 Honda Odyssey when a white Hyundai driven by Jordan Lopez rear-ended her parked van on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard. According to a tort claim filed by the family, San Diego Police officers failed to check the van for occupants after the collision. De Adams was left inside the damaged vehicle, which was subsequently towed to Allied Gardens Tow Company.
When officers arrived at the scene, they encountered Lopez, who exhibited signs of intoxication. Lopez told Officer Matthew Brace he had consumed four beers. He was arrested at the scene. However, the police did not check the vehicles for occupants before they were towed away.
“Those two parked vehicles were removed via private tow trucks, from the street as they were filled with property, and I wanted to avoid further vandalism or thefts from inside,” Officer Brace’s report reads.
De Adams’ family became concerned when she didn’t respond to messages. Her daughter, Natalia Danielle Cameroni-Adams, filed a missing persons report. Over a month later, a tow yard worker discovered De Adams’ body in the heavily decomposed state.
The San Diego County Medical Examiner ruled the cause of death as blunt force trauma from the crash injuries. The report indicated that De Adams suffered multiple rib fractures, a spinal fracture, and a compound fracture in her upper arm. According to the legal claim, Natalia Cameroni-Adams and her brother did not even see the Medical Examiner’s report until October 16, 2024, nearly a year after their mother’s death.
Lopez has since agreed to a plea deal and faces six years in prison and five years of probation. His sentencing is scheduled for March 19. The City Attorney’s office declined to comment on the case.
