Autopsy says the death of a Haitian man detained in Arizona was related to his dental woes
The medical examiner said Damas died from complications of a severe dental infection after weeks in detention, renewing questions about medical care for ICE detainees.
- The Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed Monday that 56-year-old Haitian asylum seeker Emmanuel Cleeford Damas died from complications of a severe dental infection while detained at a CoreCivic-operated ICE facility in Florence, Arizona.
- Before his death, Damas declined recommended tooth extractions during appointments in October and February, though his condition later escalated into a fatal chest infection with abscesses in his neck and throat.
- Lawyer Raymond Audain alleged Damas died due to "failures of ICE" to provide basic care, while CoreCivic stated it remains "committed to providing safe, humane and respectful care" to all detainees.
- U.S. Rep. Adelita Grijalva demanded transparency Wednesday, stating, "A toothache should never escalate into a fatal medical emergency," after inspecting the Florence Staging Facility last week.
- This death is one of 52 in ICE custody since January 2025, prompting the Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project to warn of "potentially life-threatening medical neglect" as Congress expands detention capacity.
14 Articles
14 Articles
An ICE detainee died from a tooth infection, autopsy report says
A 56-year-old Haitian man being held in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody in Arizona died from complications from an untreated tooth infection, a medical examiner's report released earlier this month found. Emmanuel Damas died on March 2 after being transferred to a local hospital from the Central Arizona Florence Correctional Center, a private correctional complex that houses ICE detainees. A report by the Maricopa County Medica…
Medical Examiner confirms Haitian asylum seeker died from untreated tooth infection in Arizona detention
This report was first published by the Tucson Sentinel. By Paul Ingram Emmanuel Cleeford Damas, 56, died on March 2 at a Scottsdale hospital weeks after he complained of a toothache while in custody at a private prison operated by CoreCivic under contract for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The preliminary report published Wednesday said Damas died from “complications of necrotizing mediastinitis with neck and retropharyngeal abscess i…
Associated Press News
Autopsy says the death of a Haitian man detained in Arizona was related to his dental woes
An autopsy report has confirmed that the death of a Haitian man after spending months at an Arizona immigration detention facility was related to his dental problems.
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