Emily Willis update: June hearing set as mother of former porn star sues rehab centre over alleged medical negligence

Willis, born Litzy Lara Banuelos, was 25 when she entered Summit Malibu, a private rehabilitation facility, in January 2024 to treat an extreme ketamine addiction. According to court documents filed by her family, Willis had reportedly been using five to six grams of ketamine daily before entering the facility, an amount described as “potentially lethal” and indicative of severe substance use disorder.

Shortly after admission, Willis suffered a cardiac arrest and was later found unconscious by a nurse. Emergency responders performed CPR for 30 to 40 minutes, but her family claims that the delay in medical intervention caused irreversible brain damage, resulting in her being in a permanent vegetative state.

The lawsuit, filed by Willis’s mother, names Summit Malibu and its parent company, Malibu Lighthouse Treatment Centers LLC, as defendants at a hearing set to take place on June 18, at the Los Angeles Superior Court.

The civil complaint lists several causes of action, including, abuse of a dependent adult , professional negligence, general negligence and fraudulent business practices.

The family argues that the clinic failed to follow California laws protecting vulnerable adults, and misrepresented its ability to manage complex addiction cases. “These are not minor flaws in care,” said the family’s attorney James A. Morris Jr to Y! Entertainment. “No patient should ever have to bear such a terrifying collapse in clinic care.”

The June 18 hearing will address two motions from the defendants - a demurrer, which challenges the legal sufficiency of the family’s claims, regardless of the facts alleged and a motion to strike, which asks the court to remove specific allegations from the complaint as irrelevant or improper.

If the court grants either motion, portions of the case could be dismissed or limited before it proceeds to trial. If denied, the case will advance to the discovery phase, where both sides exchange evidence.

The court will also hold a Case Management Conference (CMC) to review the key issues, set timelines, and assess the potential for alternative dispute resolution, such as mediation.

As a result of the medical neglect, Willis has been diagnosed with locked-in syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that has left her completely paralysed, except for limited movement of her eyes. She is unable to communicate and is currently receiving long-term care at a facility in Utah.

The last public update about Willis’s condition came from a May 2024 post on her GoFundMe page, which revealed she was showing "signs of responsiveness like eye tracking but is still unable to communicate." Earlier updates from her stepfather, Michael, in March 2024, indicated that Willis had awakened from her vegetative state and was displaying positive signs such as smiling and reacting emotionally during conversations.

However, since then, her family has not provided further details, leaving fans uncertain about her current state. The fundraising page has so far raised over $114,000 (£84,800).