The Maricopa County Medical Examiner determined that a Haitian man’s death while in ICE custody was caused by a severe infection related to dental issues. That comes after the man’s family accused immigration agents of failing to provide proper treatment for a toothache.
Emmanuel Damas, a 56-year-old asylum seeker, died in a Scottsdale hospital on March 2, according to a timeline provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The agency claimed Damas complained of shortness of breath on Feb. 19 and was transferred to a hospital near the Florence detention center where he was being held. He was then transferred to John C. Lincoln Medical Center in Phoenix before being moved to Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center.
But Damas’ family disputed that timeline. They said Damas first complained of a toothache Feb. 13 and only received ibuprofen from detention staff at the Florence facility, which is operated by private prison contractor CoreCivic.
And Democratic Rep. Yassamin Ansari, who has conducted oversight visits to the prison, said detained individuals told her Damas complained of pain as early as Feb. 10.
By the time he was transferred to the hospital, he could no longer speak. And by the time the family was able to visit him, Damas was on a ventilator, said Presly Nelson, Damas’ brother.
According to the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office, Damas died from complications related to a dental infection. The office determined the primary cause of death was “complications of necrotizing mediastinitis with neck and retropharyngeal abscess in the setting of severe dental caries and periodontal disease.”
According to the Cleveland Clinic, “necrotizing mediastinitis” refers to infections that begin above the chest, such as in the mouth, and spread, causing damage to tissue in the chest area.
Rep. Adelita Grijalva, a Tucson Democrat, called the death “a preventable tragedy” and accused immigration agents of allowing a toothache to “escalate into a fatal emergency.”
“In Arizona and across the country, we continue to see a deeply disturbing pattern of medical neglect, delayed treatment, and systemic cruelty inside ICE detention centers,” said Grijalva, who has also conducted oversight visits to ICE detention facilities. “When the federal government detains someone, it assumes responsibility for their safety, health, and well-being. This is exactly why robust congressional oversight is necessary.”
After Damas’ death, Ansari, Grijalva and Rep. Greg Stanton called for a full investigation.
Grijalva said they also requested Damas’ medical records and complaints made to staff but have yet to receive those records.
The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests to comment on the medical examiner’s report.
According to ICE, Damas was taken into custody after he was arrested on assault and battery charges while living in Boston.
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