April 8 (UPI) — Federal officials released new details Tuesday on the suicide death of a 52-year-old Chinese woman after she was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The woman, a resident of China whose identity has yet to be released, was detained on March 26 following a traffic stop near Needles in southeast California.
She was later transported to a Yuma, Ariz., Border Patrol station and logged in before 3 a.m. local time, where she was detained until her death.
Preceding the arrest, officials said, border agents observed a gray 2014 Honda Odyssey travel through the California Agriculture Inspection Station. The border agency announced a day prior to her death they arrested two Chinese nationals and seized $220,000 in cash during the traffic stop in Needles.
The agency said officials believed the cash proceeds were from illegal activity and was “seized for laundering.”
According to federal officials, the unidentified Chinese national entered the United States last year in February via Los Angeles but allegedly overstayed her short term B1/B2 visa, which is commonly used for business or tourism.
They claimed the now-deceased woman “could not explain the source of the currency” found in the Honda vehicle.
USBP personnel reportedly placed her in a detention cell as the sole occupant while awaiting placement at a long-term detention facility.
“Detention logs noted that USBP personnel subsequently conducted six welfare checks or provided meals to the woman,” according to the agency.
Officials said that, on March 28 a little after 2:30 a.m. local time, CBP medical personnel treated the woman for a headache, cough and acid reflux and noted she was “calm” during treatment before returning to her cell.
An investigation revealed the last interaction agents had with the woman took place at about 10:30 p.m.
“Following that interaction, welfare checks were recorded on six occasions before she was discovered unresponsive” at 5:57 a.m. on March 29, officials said, adding that interviews with relevant USBP personnel revealed “these welfare checks were not performed.”
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wa., said previously in a statement that the detainee died by suicide but “initial reports have indicated that certain CBP procedures to ensure the safety and welfare of individuals in custody were not conducted.”
Surveillance footage showed that at approximately 4:42 a.m. she tore a mylar blanket with her teeth, pulled a strip from the mylar blanket lengthwise, twisted the strip and formed it into a loop at one end.
After going behind a privacy wall, she remained visible for about one minute before she sat down then placed the loop around her neck.
Her body moved out of camera view at about 4:48 a.m., and she was later found unresponsive. EMS transported her to Onvida Health Yuma Medical Center, where a doctor pronounced her dead before 7 a.m.
Meanwhile, the preliminary cause of death was attributed to “suicide by asphyxia due to ligature hanging,” and an official report will be provided by a medical examiner once toxicology results return.
“There is no excuse for why agents cannot verify if some of the necessary welfare checks occurred — or why some of the documented welfare checks were incorrectly reported,” added Jayapal, ranking member of the House Immigration, Integrity, Security and Enforcement Subcommittee.
The Chinese Consulate has been notified of the death, officials said Tuesday in a release.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, help is available 24/7. Call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for free, confidential support.
