Immigrant sought mental health care before dying in ICE custody
New documents indicate that the detainee requested psychiatric care before the struggle that ended with his death
A Cuban immigrant who remained in custody of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) repeatedly requested attention for mental health problems before dying during a confrontation with guards at a detention center in Texas, The Washington Post reported.
The report reveals new medical documents, court records and testimonies that show that Geraldo Lunas Campos, 31, suffered from bipolar disorder, anxiety and even expressed suicidal thoughts weeks before his death. Despite this, he was never transferred to a specialized center to receive the treatment that, according to the records, he had requested.
Documents reveal requests for help before his death
According to the same media, Lunas Campos remained detained at the Camp East Montana center in El Paso, Texas, where he requested medical attention on several occasions. Documents reviewed by the newspaper indicate that health professionals recommended a more extensive psychiatric evaluation, but the transfer never occurred.
Weeks later, the immigrant died during a struggle with security personnel at the detention center.
The case gained notoriety after an autopsy concluded that the death was a homicide, contradicting the initial version released by the immigration authorities, who initially classified it as an apparent suicide.
The family sues and doubts about ICE grow
The immigrant's family filed a civil lawsuit for more than $1 million against the center's operators and the guards involved, considering that there was negligence in medical care and in the use of force.
“He asked for help again and again, but never received the care he needed,” says the investigation, based on medical records and court documents.
The report also states that the case is part of a growing concern about the conditions inside the detention centers managed by ICE, where human rights organizations have denounced deficiencies in the medical and psychological care of immigrants.
Although the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has defended the protocols applied in its facilities, the case remains under judicial review and could lead to new investigations into the treatment of people with mental health conditions in immigration custody.
Seek help / Review information at: Suicide and Crisis Prevention Line 988