Immigration and Customs Enforcement released its account Friday of what happened to a Haitian man in the agency’s custody earlier this week.
Emmanuel Damas, 56, died Monday at Honor Health hospital in Scottsdale.
Damas’ brother, Presly Nelson, says he began complaining about a toothache on Feb. 13, but wasn’t able to get anything more than ibuprofen at the Florence Correctional Center, where he was being held. Almost a week later, he could no longer speak and was sent to the hospital.
Nelson says the family spent the next week trying to locate him and learn about his condition, but struggled to get information from hospital staff, who said ICE had barred them from speaking. They were given the green light to come see him on Feb. 28, according to Nelson.
Damas died Monday afternoon after an 11-day hospitalization. Nelson says his family was told he died of septic shock likely due to the infection that began in his tooth.
ICE’s press release comes four days after his death and marks the first time the agency has acknowledged it. The release says he was sent to the hospital after complaining of shortness of breath on Feb. 19 but makes no mention of his toothache.
ICE says his cause of death has not been determined.
The agency says Damas was arrested on assault and battery charges by Boston police in September and taken into ICE custody pursuant to the Laken Riley Act — the law passed last year that mandates detention for immigrants accused of a range of crimes, including assault.
The document contains numerous errors, including the spelling of Damas’ name, the hospitals he was placed in and the name of the Laken Riley Act.
