Rafael Ballesteros

Rafael Ballesteros was held at the Faribault prison in Minnesota when he died of COVID-19 in January 2021, according to the Post Bulletin. About two weeks before he died, his daughter Rose Ballesteros spoke with him by phone while he was on oxygen. Rose said her family felt people in prison were out of sight and out of mind. The Post Bulletin reported that he was the 11th person in Minnesota state prisons to die of COVID-19.

Cause of death, as reported: Died of illness. He died of COVID-19, the 11th Minnesota state prisoner to die of the disease.

Source

• "It’s dead man walking": Post Bulletin investigation reveals mistreatment of Minnesota inmates during pandemic Post Bulletin, March 30, 2021