EXCLUSIVE: Robert Carradine's Family Sues Hospital Over Actor's Suicide Death
Robert Carradine's family sues the hospital, alleging failures contributed to the actor's suicide death.
Aug. 28 2026, Published 6:30 a.m. ET
Robert Carradine's family is suing a California hospital over his suicide – claiming the facility failed to prevent his death, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The Revenge of the Nerds star checked himself into a UCLA psychiatric unit in January "feeling relieved to be hospitalized," and hoped treatment would "reduce his anxiety," according to the suit.
Lawsuit Claims Hospital Ignored Safeguards
Robert Carradine's family claimed UCLA failed to follow safeguards before his death.
Instead, the facility broke a "cardinal rule for a hospitalized psychiatric patient" and "let him walk into a locked psychiatric unit with a belt," the suit said.
A belt can be used to "cause self-harm or hanging," and the suit alleges it is "standard" practice for belts to be removed when a patient checks into a psychiatric hospital.
The suit claims staff should have removed the actor's belt immediately.
What's more, hospital staff allegedly failed to check on Carradine "every 15 minutes" as required and he was left alone for "long periods of time," according to the documents.
The suit blames UCLA for taking "shortcuts with two safeguards that were meant to protect Robert's life."
Carradine Died Weeks After Attempt
The L.A. County Medical Examiner ruled Carradine's death a suicide.
Tragically, just 19 hours after Carradine was admitted to the hospital, he was discovered "unresponsive and found to be in cardiac arrest" after attempting suicide, the family's suit says.
The 71-year-old actor "never regained consciousness" and "suffered an anoxic brain injury." He spent "the next five weeks in an intensive care unit" as his "condition continued to decline," according to the legal papers.
The Lizzie McGuire star died Feb. 23. The L.A. County Medical Examiner ruled his death a suicide.
Family Challenges Hospital’s Investigation Findings
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The actor's family is suing the Regents of the University of California for wrongful death and elder abuse.
The lawsuit also alleges UCLA's subsequent investigation did not accurately reflect what happened, claiming hospital records conflict with surveillance footage from the facility.
The legal papers allege staff recorded Carradine attending therapy after he became unresponsive.
His family describes those entries as inaccurate.
In their lawsuit, filed Aug. 7, the family is suing the Regents of the University of California for wrongful death and elder abuse. They're seeking general damages, special and economic damages and wrongful death damages.
