Salvadoran Man Complained Of Access To Medication Before Death At Nj Immigration Jail, Family Says

Family members of a Salvadoran man who died astatine a New Jersey migration jailhouse are demanding an independent investigation into his death, alleging he was denied due aesculapian attraction wrong a installation that has go a flashpoint for protests against President Donald Trump’s migration crackdown.

The man, Edwin Lopez-Cornejo, was hospitalized Saturday aft suffering a “medical emergency” while being held astatine Delaney Hall successful Newark, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He died nan aforesaid day.

His charismatic origin of decease will beryllium released pursuing further aesculapian examination, according to ICE, which has listed his property arsenic 41. Relatives said he was 39.

At a news convention Tuesday, distraught family members said Lopez-Cornejo had complained he was not getting regular entree to his medications, which he took for diabetes, precocious humor unit and seizures. His mother, Maria Cornejo, said he called nan time earlier his decease to show her he had spoken to a expert early Friday and had mislaid emotion successful half his look and arm.

“My boy needed aesculapian attention, and he didn’t person it,” Cornejo said successful Spanish. “He was a bully father. A bully son. A hardworking man. He didn’t harm anyone.”

Through tears, his 12-year-old daughter, Ashley Lopez, said nan family knew his wellness had worsened successful detention. “All of america were worried astir him,” she said.

In their statement, ICE said Lopez-Cornejo “received due aesculapian attraction and was seen by aesculapian professionals” while successful custody. He had been held astatine nan installation since his apprehension June 18, according to nan agency, which accused him of entering nan state illegally.

In all, astatine slightest 56 group person died successful ICE custody during Trump’s 2nd term. Hundreds of detainees crossed nan U.S. person brought lawsuits accusing migrant detention accommodation of failing to supply due aesculapian care.

In caller months, Delaney Hall has been nan tract of fierce protests by migration advocates, pinch demonstrators astatine times attempting to artifact vehicles from entering aliases leaving nan facility. Earlier this year, immoderate detainees launched a hunger onslaught complete nan conditions, according to Cosecha, an migrant defense group.

The installation is owned by Geo Group, a backstage situation contractor that operates aggregate detention centers crossed nan country. The contractor did not instantly respond to an email requesting comment.

After Lopez-Cornejo's death, Democratic politicians and civilian authorities groups renewed their calls to shutter nan 1,000-bed facility.

“This is not nan first decease of a detainee astatine Delaney Hall, and absent decisive action, it will not beryllium nan last,” Democratic U.S. Sen. Cory Booker said successful a statement. “I person visited nan installation myself and witnessed these conditions firsthand, truthful I opportunity this plainly: Delaney Hall must beryllium closed instantly and permanently.”

In December, Jean Wilson Brutus, a 41-year-old Haitian national, died aft collapsing astatine nan jailhouse successful what a aesculapian examiner ruled was owed to a humor clot blocking an artery successful his lungs.

On Monday, U.S. Rep. Rob Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat who has routinely visited Delaney Hall, told reporters different personification detained by ICE died successful July aft they suffered a seizure while they were being processed astatine nan facility. Menendez said ICE granted nan individual a “discretionary release” from custody aft they were taken to a infirmary and mislaid consciousness, and nan personification died soon afterward.

Menendez did not place nan individual. ICE didn’t instantly respond to an enquiry astir nan case.

Menendez said ICE did not study nan death, successful statement pinch a argumentation alteration announced earlier this twelvemonth successful which nan agency nary longer reports deaths that hap wrong 30 days of someone’s merchandise from custody.

ICE has besides not publically recognized nan July 24 decease of 29-year-old Priciliano Trejo successful Georgia, which came 9 days aft nan agency released him from custody while he was hospitalized successful a coma, according to a conjugation of defense groups successful nan state. The agency has not responded to inquiries astir Trejo’s death.

On Tuesday, Lopez-Cornejo’s brother, Danilo Lopez, called for nan merchandise of each medically susceptible detainees, adding that nan family would activity an independent authorities investigation into nan “health crisis” astatine Delaney Hall.

In a statement, New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat, said her administration’s inspection efforts “continue to look obstruction.”

“Every effort to artifact oversight raises superior questions astir what is happening wrong Delaney Hall and what those operating nan installation are trying to hide,” she added.

___

Associated Press journalists Ryan Foley successful Iowa City, Iowa, and Joseph Frederick, successful Highland Park, New Jersey, contributed to this report.