A Pennsylvania medical examiner has determined that a Haitian woman who died shortly after immigration officials released her from custody was killed, according to a ruling issued Friday.
Officials with the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office concluded that 31-year-old Daphy Michel died from hypothermia on March 2, just three days following her release from federal immigration detention.
According to the medical examiner’s office, Michel was considered “a vulnerable adult, suffering from untreated severe mental health issues and a significant language barrier” at the time immigration authorities let her go.
“Based on all available information during the investigation, the pathologist ruled Ms. Michel’s death a homicide,” stated James Madalinsky, a spokesperson for the examiner’s office.
However, Madalinsky clarified that a homicide determination does not constitute a “declaration of criminal guilt.”
The Office of the Allegheny County District Attorney has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the case.
Immigration officials had previously charged Michel with “terroristic threats and harassment” and had initiated deportation procedures against her before her death.
Lauren Bis, acting DHS assistant secretary, acknowledged Friday that Michel had been fitted with an ankle monitor when she was released from custody, while maintaining that ICE was not responsible for the woman’s death.
This determination follows a comparable ruling issued in April involving a nearly blind refugee from Myanmar who was discovered dead in New York following his release from jail into U.S. Border Patrol custody.
