A firm representing the family of a man who died in the Santa Clarita Aquatic Center in December sent the city a letter earlier this year that appears to be the precursor to a lawsuit.
Frazier Alan Bailey, 66, of Santa Clarita, died around noon on Dec. 22, according to the L.A. County Medical Examiner’s Office, which noted that he died on the pool deck at the city facility.
The county’s website listed his cause of death was listed as complications of arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, or ASCVD.
“Please be advised that this letter serves as a formal demand for the immediate preservation of all evidence relating to an incident that occurred at the Santa Clarita Aquatic Center at approximately noon on Dec. 22, 2025, which resulted in the death,” according to a letter sent to the city from Gavrilov & Brooks. “A government tort claim against the appropriate public entity is anticipated.”
The Jan. 7 letter was to put the city on notice of its “obligation to preserve all documents, materials, data, and electronically stored information that may be relevant to this matter.”
The city has not formally received a complaint as of this story’s publication, according to city officials. Such a complaint is a prerequisite for a lawsuit, according to state law.
Kenneth Spencer, an attorney with Gavrilov & Brooks’ Los Angeles office, who’s listed as the sender, declined to answer any questions about the situation when reached by phone Wednesday.
“Without limitation, evidence to be preserved includes: video and audio recordings; surveillance footage … from all cameras covering the facility; and incident documentation,” according to the letter.
Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station personnel were dispatched to the call at 12:17 p.m., and arrived a few minutes later, said Shirley Miller, spokeswoman for the station. They arrived to an unresponsive man who possibly drowned, Miller said.
The city issued a prepared statement in December, in response to a request for comment, through Joe Redmond, a spokesman for the city.
“An incident involving a patron occurred at the Santa Clarita Aquatics Center earlier today,” according to the statement. “While the individual was swimming, staff observed signs of distress consistent with a medical emergency and immediately contacted first responders. Despite life-saving efforts, the individual was pronounced deceased. The cause of death has not yet been determined. We extend our condolences to the individual’s family and loved ones.”
The primary cause of death indicated in Bailey’s death information online, AVSCD, is considered the leading cause of death globally, according to the American Heart Association. The term refers to a plaque buildup in arterial walls, which can create other conditions, including: coronary heart disease, such as myocardial infarction, angina and coronary artery stenosis; cerebrovascular disease; and peripheral artery disease, such as claudication, according to the AHA website.
