Haitian Man Dies in ICE Custody, Family Alleges Neglect
In a troubling incident at the Florence Correctional Complex, a 56-year-old Haitian man in ICE custody has passed away. Emmanuel Damas died at a Scottsdale hospital, with his family alleging that he suffered from neglect by federal agents.
Following an arrest by Boston police on domestic violence charges last fall, Damas was taken into custody by ICE. His brother, Presly Nelson, recounts that Damas began to experience a severe toothache on February 13 and was only administered ibuprofen by the facility’s staff. By February 20, Damas was unable to speak, prompting Nelson to contact an ICU doctor in Phoenix.
“And he said, your brother just was admitted yesterday, and was very sick. He’s on ventilation, he has pneumonia, he has a bad infection, but we are doing everything we can,” Nelson shared.
Nelson highlighted the family’s struggle to get information on Damas’ condition and location. Hospital staff reportedly informed the family that ICE had restricted them from sharing details. During this period, Damas was moved from the Honor Health John C. Lincoln Medical Center to the Honor Health Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center under unclear circumstances.
The family eventually managed to visit Damas on Sunday, but were met with a distressing scene. “We walked into the room and we were greeted by security guards, he was on ventilation, he was on dialysis,” Nelson recounts. Even in his critical state, Damas remained handcuffed, barely able to open his eyes.
Damas succumbed to septic shock on Monday afternoon. ICE has not made any public acknowledgment of the incident or responded to queries. CoreCivic, the private company running the Florence facility, has directed all questions to ICE.
“Once we have information to share, we will be sure you receive it,” stated ICE spokesperson Yasmeen Pitts O’Keefe.
This tragedy adds to the list of fatalities in ICE custody, with at least seven reported this year. The previous year saw 32 deaths, marking it the deadliest in over two decades.
Load More
—
Read More Arizona News
