Lawsuit alleges Javier’s staff failed to perform CPR in Las Vegas death of Hallmark actor Michael Heslin

A Hallmark movie star died on a Las Vegas birthday trip after suffering a heart attack, and a wrongful-death lawsuit filed in Clark County alleges Javier’s restaurant at the ARIA hotel on the Strip failed to provide lifesaving help and even stopped a bystander from performing CPR.

Michael Heslin, 35, collapsed July 2, 2024, while dining with his husband, Scotty Dynamo, and friends at Javier’s, according to the complaint. Heslin had just celebrated his birthday two weeks earlier and the couple had spoken publicly about plans to start a family. His death has prompted questions about the restaurant’s response to a medical emergency that reportedly unfolded in the dining room.

The complaint, filed Sept. 18, describes the event as an avoidable tragedy allegedly caused by failures of Javier’s staff to recognize and treat a medical emergency. The Las Vegas Review-Journal notes the filing lists five counts, including wrongful death, loss of consortium, negligence, negligent hiring, retention, training and supervision, and gross negligence. The suit claims Heslin collapsed while at the restaurant, and staff did not act despite obvious signs of a medical crisis. A nearby patron reportedly began performing CPR, but an employee allegedly interfered with the life-saving effort and prevented continuing compressions. Although an automated external defibrillator (AED) was present, the filing states it was never retrieved, and Heslin’s friends were reportedly removed from the dining area as the situation unfolded.

According to the filing, attempts by Heslin’s companions to assist were met with threats of arrest if they attempted to intervene, and those who recorded the incident were said to have had their videos demanded for deletion. The lawsuit seeks damages surpassing $30,000, plus funeral expenses and punitive damages, arguing that Heslin’s death was a direct and proximate result of the Defendants’ acts and omissions, per the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

The lawsuit’s plaintiffs say Heslin’s husband was shocked by the loss. In an Instagram post after Heslin’s death, Dynamo described his spouse as young, healthy, and a man who had no medical explanation for the tragedy. He said Heslin was brilliant, selfless and loving, and he recalled how Heslin supported him through cancer treatments, calling him a guardian angel who brought out the best in everyone around him. Dynamo also noted that the couple were discussing starting a family and shared how Heslin hoped to become a father, including naming a future child after him.

Heslin’s career included a role in the Zoe Saldana-starring series Lioness and involvement in the made-for-TV movie The Holiday Proposal Plan. Dynamo has said Heslin was an organ donor who gave the gift of life to four different families following his passing, a detail the couple emphasized amid the public outpouring of sympathy.

Daily Mail representatives have reached out to MGM Resorts International, which operates Aria, for comment. The civil suit is ongoing, and no criminal charges have been filed related to the incident. The case underscores ongoing debates about emergency response protocols in high-profile dining venues and the responsibilities of staff when a medical crisis occurs in a crowded setting.