Toothache led to death of man in ICE custody, infection spread to gums and body after agents refused to take his complaints seriously, medical examiner and lawmakers say

A 56-year-old antheral held successful ICE custody successful Arizona complained astir "experiencing terrible bony pain" and "repeatedly requested aesculapian care" but national agents ignored him, starring to his decease from a "septic infection," according to his household and section lawmakers.

Arizona Reps. Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07), Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03) and Greg Stanton (AZ-04) are calling for an investigation into Emmanuel Damas' demise, on with his household and their attorney, arsenic the Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner released its superior origin of decease for the Haitian asylum seeker this week: "complications of necrotizing mediastinitis with cervix and retropharyngeal abscess successful the mounting of terrible dental caries and periodontal disease."

Attorney Raymond Audain, who is representing the Damas family, tells AZFamily they are "reviewing the ME's recently released information" and weighing adjacent steps.

"His decease is unacceptable and raises sedate concerns implicit attraction and prime of healthcare that individuals successful ICE custody receive," a letter from Grijalva, Ansari, and Stanton to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem blasted successful March aft Damas died.

According to the lawmakers, Damas had been detained astatine the Florence Correctional Center for astir 4 months earlier helium passed distant connected March 2.

"On February 12th, 2026, helium sought aesculapian attraction for terrible bony symptom and was fixed lone ibuprofen," their missive said. "He died successful an Arizona infirmary … from sepsis, arsenic a effect of an untreated infection."

Chandler City Councilwoman Christine Ellis tells AZFamily that Damas' household reached retired to her successful aboriginal March asking for help, arsenic good arsenic members of Congress. "As a nurse, the archetypal happening that I felt was a daze that idiosyncratic could really successful the United States dice with a toothache," Ellis says.

A timeline released by DHS alleged that Damas was hospitalized for shortness of enactment a week aft his household says helium archetypal complained astir his symptom and cervix swelling. But the timeline did not notation a toothache, per AZFamily.

It wasn't until the ME's origin of decease came retired this week that Damas' household confirmed what they thought each along, Ellis says.

"It does springiness america answers," the councilwoman tells AZFamily. "It's a motion of alleviation that they were capable to bash their thorough probe and travel backmost with the close answer, due to the fact that each on we knew that's the lone crushed wherefore helium was sick."

Grijalva, Ansari, and Stanton person requested a "complete accounting of the aesculapian care" Damas received portion successful national migration custody and "full probe into the circumstances surrounding Mr. Damas's death," according to their letter.

"The aesculapian examiner's preliminary findings marque this preventable calamity adjacent more horrifying," Grijalva said successful a statement Thursday. "A toothache should ne'er escalate into a fatal aesculapian emergency, especially while idiosyncratic is successful authorities custody and wholly babelike connected detention unit for access to care."

Dentist John Osborn told the Arizona Daily Star that based connected the ME's findings, helium believes bacteria dispersed done Damas' gums and passim his body.

"It sounds similar that created the accidental for a blood-borne corruption and that's what killed him," Osborn said. "It sounds similar his infected teeth killed him."

Florence Correctional Center is operated by CoreCivic, a for-profit situation institution that told the Daily Star it could not remark connected specifics surrounding Damas' death. A spokesperson said, "All detainees person regular entree to motion up for aesculapian care, including intelligence wellness service."

The rep added, "While we're incapable to stock circumstantial accusation astir a detainee's aesculapian attraction owed to national privateness laws, we are committed to providing safe, humane and respectful attraction for everyone entrusted to us."

DHS did not respond to Law&Crime's requests for remark connected Thursday.