A University of San Diego student that was forgotten in a holding cell for five days by the Drug Enforcement Administration has reached a $4.1 million settlement with the federal government.
"This was a mistake of unbelievable and unimaginable proportions," said attorney Julia Yoo.
Daniel Chong, 25, drank his own urine to survive. He had carved a farewell note to his mother into his arm with a shard of glass by the time authorities rediscovered him. His windowless cell had no food, water or toilet.
Chong was detained April 21 after the DEA raided a house they suspected was being used to distribute ecstasy. There, they seized 18,000 MDMA pills, marijuana, prescription medications, hallucinogenic mushrooms, guns and several thousand rounds of ammunition.
But it was not until April 25 that an agent opened Chong's cell and found him. Chong said he was in town to visit a friend and did not know about the drugs or weapons present in the house. While in the cell, Chong became severely dehydrated and lost 15 pounds. He also suffered from severe post-traumatic stress disorder, Yoo said.
