According to her attorneys, Cardenas was subjected to sexual assault when correctional officers at the Tehachapi prison in California forced her to strip in order to approve her visit. The incident occurred on September 6, 2019, when Cardenas was asked to undress, undergo drug and pregnancy tests, and have both X-rays and a CT scan at a hospital. A male doctor also examined her.

Cardenas stated after her victory: “What I wanted from my lawsuit was to ensure that no one else goes through what I did.”

Out of the $5.6 million, $3.6 million will be paid by the state of California, with the remainder covered by other defendants, including two correctional officers and a doctor.

According to the lawsuit, Cardenas was handcuffed, humiliated as she was escorted to and from the hospital, denied water and bathroom access, and asked to pay $5,000 for medical expenses. One officer reportedly told her, “Why do you want to see him, Christina? You don’t have to do this. It’s your choice, and this is part of the visit.” Ultimately, she was not allowed to see her husband, despite nothing suspicious being found.