San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office concludes in-custody death investigation

When Santos approached Sulapas about breaking her car window, Sulapas allegedly grabbed her by the hair, dragged her to the ground, and punched her repeatedly in the face, according to the report. Several passersby witnessed the attack, one of who noted it was the most brutal attack they have seen, according to the DA’s report.

Two South City officers were dispatched to the scene but Sulapas allegedly resisted arrest by kicking and hitting one of the officers. Officer Miguel Wong warned Sulapas if she didn’t cooperate he would use a Taser on her, which he did in the stomach area as the other officer attempted to gain control of Sulapas. They were able to handcuff her on her stomach, however, she continued to yell and scream erratically at the officers. According to the report, Sgt. Daniel Brown was called to the scene by the officers requesting a WRAP device, which is used as a safety restraint device to protect officers and subjects from injuring themselves and others. The officers then successfully restrained Sulapas in the device. She allegedly spit on the officers and they placed a spit mask over her head, according to the DA’s Office report.

Sulapas was transported to Seton Medical Center where medical personnel cleared her for booking in the county jail. Her erratic behavior began happening in waves, with screaming, kicking and removing her seat belt from the back of the police vehicle, according to the report. Inside the Maguire Correctional Facility booking area, Sulapas was allegedly screaming and kicking. When brought to a cell, officers removed her from the WRAP device, however, Sulapas allegedly began banging her head on the wall and floor, which caused officers to place her in a restraint chair to prevent her from injuring herself, according to report. Correctional Health staff monitored Sulapas, later assessing she needed further medical attention, and she was placed on a gurney and brought to the hospital from an ambulance. On the way to Kaiser Hospital in Redwood City, Sulapas entered into cardiac arrest. Medical staff revived her several times before declaring her dead, according to the DA’s Office report.

A toxicology report was taken from Sulapas’ blood indicating the presence of 312 nanograms of cocaine, 263 nanograms of MDMA, 23 nanograms of amphetamine and 4,940 nanograms of meth. The DA’s Office contacted Donald MacNeil, a chemist and director of Ascertain Forensics, who indicated Sulapas’ blood was in the moderate to moderately severe range, stating 1,200 nanograms is typically a lethal amount of meth. He said the low level of amphetamine in the blood sample indicated Sulapas’ death occurred around the same time as the point of peak consumption of the meth, according to the DA’s Office report.

During Sulapas’ autopsy, Dr. Vivian Snyder located and recovered a bag containing methamphetamine inside Sulapas’ vagina, according to the report. Snyder said it is possible some of the methamphetamine leeched from the baggy into Sulapas’ body but was unable to definitively say so given that she possibly cut the baggy with her scalpel during the autopsy. Still, Snyder concluded the high levels of drugs in Sulapas’ blood was sufficient enough to cause her death.