Tooth infection and dental disease cited as cause of death for Haitian man in ICE custody - BERITAJA

Tooth infection and dental illness person been cited arsenic the origin of decease for a Haitian man who died successful ICE custody this spring, according to the Maricopa County aesculapian examiner’s office.

Emmanuel Damas, 56, died March 2 successful a infirmary successful Scottsdale, Arizona. ICE said he was transported to the infirmary connected Feb. 19 aft complaining of shortness of activity while astatine the Florence Detention Center successful Florence, Ariz. Damas was taken into custody successful September and remained detained until his death.

The Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s website now lists Damas’ superior origin of decease as “Complications of Necrotizing Mediastinitis pinch Neck and Retropharyngeal Abcess successful the mounting of Severe Dental Caries and Peridontal Disease.

The study besides lists the “manner of death” arsenic “natural.”

An usability astatine the aesculapian examiner’s agency said Friday that a preliminary study had not yet been issued and that reports are not released for 90 days. The aesculapian examiner did not instantly return a connection seeking remark Friday afternoon.

The Department of Homeland Security did not instantly return a petition for remark about the aesculapian examiner’s findings Friday evening.

Emmanuel Damas was transported to the infirmary connected Feb. 19 aft complaining of shortness of activity while astatine the Florence Detention Center successful Florence, Ariz. Jimmy Jenkins / The Arizona Republic/USA Today Network via Imagn

In a statement March 6, ICE described successful item Damas’ aesculapian treatment, stating that he was tested astatine the infirmary and had been successful the hospital’s intensive attraction portion passim his stay. It did not see chat of and concerns Damas whitethorn person raised about his teeth aliases whether he made requests for dental treatment.

Days aft his death, Damas’ relative told The Associated Press that Damas died from an untreated bony infection.

An lawyer for Damas’ relative did not respond to petition for remark Friday afternoon.

Damas’ relative Presly Nelson has antecedently said his relative was good earlier he was detained. Nelson said Damas had periodically undergone regular dental attraction but did not person superior issues. Nelson said the past week he said to his brother, Damas was complaining about a toothache.

Nelson said a personification who had befriended Damas while they were some detained called him to show him Damas was not doing good and that he had been taken to the hospital. Nelson said the friend said Damas had been complaining of a toothache and received ibuprofen from a caregiver astatine the detainment facility.

“At nary constituent did we deliberation this would happen. The past clip I said to him, had I known that would person been the past time, I would person made it a much meaningful conversation,” Nelson said previously.

Rep. Adelita Grijalva, an Arizona Democrat, said the aesculapian examiner’s preliminary findings raise much questions about Damas’ aesculapian curen while successful custody.

She said she had formally requested Damas’ aesculapian records, records of complaints to unit and a “full accounting of the circumstances starring to his death.” She said successful a connection that her agency has not received “the afloat records, transparency aliases accountability that his family deserves.”

The aesculapian examiner’s last study is scheduled to beryllium issued later this month.