Instead of firing a Fresno Unified nursing director for her internal investigation that failed to bring meaningful accountability to a possibly avoidable student death in 2022, the district gave that nurse — a cousin of Superintendent Misty Her — nearly $100,000 in severance pay.

In December 2025, the district signed an agreement with its then-director of health services Xai “Liz” Torres, allowing her to resign and collect $95,000, according to public records obtained by GV Wire. In exchange for the severance pay, Torres waives any employment claims against the district.

The agreement also allowed her to continue to collect salary and benefits through January. When the severance was agreed upon, she had been on paid administrative leave for more than a year.

Related Story: Brother of Fresno Unified Student Who Died of Asthma Attack Speaks Out

11-Year-old Student’s Death

Torres had been in charge of the nursing department when an 11-year-old student at Homan Elementary died after suffering an asthma attack at school. Torres led the investigation into the school nurse who had not followed asthma procedures and called the student’s family instead of an ambulance.

According to a whistleblower lawsuit, the death was likely preventable. That lawsuit also claims Torres was the nurse’s friend and direct supervisor.

The California state board of registered nursing also recommended Torres’ nursing license be revoked due to “incompetence” and “unprofessional conduct” in the investigation of the student’s death.

Notably, Torres’ agreement with the district specifies that Fresno Unified has “no known grounds or mandatory obligations” to report any matters to the nursing board.

Additionally, Torres was named in a 2024 age discrimination lawsuit that the district settled with plaintiffs for $1.76 million.

The district through a spokesperson declined to comment on the matter. A June 2026 grand jury report stated that Fresno Unified allows payments of up to $100,000 without needing board approval.

Related Story: Brother of Fresno Unified Student Who Died of Asthma Attack Speaks Out

Torres’ Investigation Did Not Provide Accountability

In 2022, an 11-year-old student at Homan Elementary died following a severe asthma attack at school. That student went to a school nurse who instead of calling an ambulance called the girl’s family to pick her up. The girl had used her inhaler six times and had to be brought out to her grandparent in a wheelchair because she could not walk.

That student went into cardiac arrest and died of an anoxic brain injury.

The nurse, who also faces a possible license revocation, did not document any vital signs and did not follow procedures.

What came from Torres’ investigation is unclear. The nursing board found that Torres did not create a written report and did not say what kind of training or discipline occurred.

“(Torres) reported that she had conducted a chart review on Patient 1 and that she had provided coaching and informal discipline to (the school nurse),” the state board’s accusation stated. “However, (Torres) did not create a written report, failed to identify which actions of (the school nurse) warranted informal discipline, and failed to describe what specific coaching was provided to (the school nurse.)”

Torres also did not review the students’ medical records and did not interview family members or medical providers.

It wasn’t until a whistleblower later sued the district alleging retaliation that Torres was put on administrative leave.

Fresno Unified Board Member Susan Wittrup, who has at multiple times called for a policy requiring independent investigations into student deaths, said the district still not has not adopted such  a standard.

Fresno Unified Board President Veva Islas said she could not comment on personnel issues.

Related Story: Wittrup: Fresno Unified’s Failure Was Not Just What Happened to a Child, It ...

Torres’ Conduct Led to Age Discrimination Lawsuit

Torres received a promotion to the supervisory position under questionable circumstances, according to court documents. In a text message chain in the court record, Torres told fellow nurses that Her had encouraged her to apply for the head nursing position.

Attorney Howard Sagaser, who represents the whistleblower, previously told GV Wire that Torres did not interview for that position but rather got the job after Amy Idsvoog, then-executive officer of First Response, Safety, and Health, chose her following a recommendation from Idsvoog’s husband, Paul Idsvoog, who was the district’s chief operating officer at the time.

The age discrimination lawsuit, filed in 2024, alleged that Torres regularly referred to plaintiffs as “older nurses” and denied them promotions due to their age. The text message chain also shows a coordinated effort among a group of nurses, including Torres, to get older nurses fired.

In addition to the age discrimination lawsuit and the whistleblower lawsuit, the district faces another school nurse lawsuit alleging mismanagement and retaliation.