Yimi Balderramos-Torres
Yimi Balderramos-Torres, a 30-year-old man, died on June 30, 2019, while held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Houston Contract Detention Facility in Houston, Texas. ICE said his death was natural, caused by sudden cardiac death associated with enlarged heart chambers. An autopsy reported by the ACLU and Physicians for Human Rights likewise found sudden cardiac arrest, and described him as a man from Honduras. According to ICE's own internal review, a rash he reported at intake was left out of his transfer summary, and he was not processed for intake within the 12 hours ICE policy requires. Staff did not notice when he fell from his bunk bed earlier that morning.
Cause of death, as reported: Died of illness (neglect alleged). ICE says he died of sudden cardiac death, and an autopsy found a natural death, but the ACLU and Physicians for Human Rights report says ICE's own review found staff left a rash he reported at intake out of his transfer summary, delayed his intake processing beyond the 12 hours policy requires, and did not notice when he fell from his bunk that morning.
Reported by: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (the agency that held him); autopsy; ACLU and Physicians for Human Rights report (advocates).