An autopsy report released on Monday confirmed that the death of a Haitian man after spending months at an Arizona immigration detention facility was related to his dental problems, as his family had previously argued. However, the report also revealed that the 56-year-old, Emmanuel Damas, declined recommendations to have his problematic teeth removed during dental appointments.
Details of the Autopsy Findings
The Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office concluded that Damas died from complications of a chest infection with abscesses in his neck and throat area. The cause of death also cited his severe dental problems as a contributing factor. Damas, who was detained at the Central Arizona Florence Correctional Center in Florence, Arizona, is one of at least 51 detainees who have died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody since President Donald Trump's second term began in January 2025.
Like his death, the majority of the other deaths have been ruled as natural causes by medical examiners. Experts have noted that many of these deaths result from conditions that are preventable with timely and effective medical care. Damas's case is the only one in which dental problems have been listed as a cause or contributing factor among three dozen deaths where that information has been released.
Timeline of Events
According to the autopsy report, Damas was placed on a waiting list after an October dental exam recommended the extraction of a specific tooth. When his appointment for the extraction arrived three months later, he declined, stating that the tooth no longer hurt. At a subsequent appointment in mid-February, Damas again declined a recommendation to have teeth removed. Days later, when he complained of a sore throat and abdominal pain, staff at the detention facility requested he visit the medical unit, but he refused.
He was transported to a hospital on February 19 for respiratory failure and later transferred to other hospitals for a higher level of care. He died on March 2 at a hospital in Scottsdale.
Family's Response
Raymond Audain, a lawyer representing Damas's family, stated that Damas died due to failures by ICE and CoreCivic, the private corrections company operating the Florence facility, to provide basic medical care. The family conducted their own autopsy with a private pathologist, though Audain declined to share that report with the Associated Press. Audain wrote that the county's autopsy confirms that Damas died of sepsis from a descending infection starting with tooth pain, and that he begged for medical care multiple times, including the night before hospitalization, but was ignored.
CoreCivic's Statement
CoreCivic, which operates the Florence facility, said in a statement that it takes the deaths of detainees seriously. The company stated, "While we're unable to share specific information about a detainee's medical care due to federal privacy laws, we are committed to providing safe, humane and respectful care for everyone entrusted to us. We take seriously our obligation to adhere to all applicable federal detention standards and will continue to ensure that all detainees receive appropriate and timely medical attention."
The Associated Press left a message with ICE seeking comment on the autopsy report.
