The Maricopa County medical examiner found that 56-year-old Emmanuel Damas died on March 2 from complications of an untreated tooth infection that progressed to necrotizing mediastinitis and a retropharyngeal abscess. Damas was transferred to a hospital on Feb. 19 with acute respiratory failure from septic shock and died after being placed on life support. Family members say he complained of a toothache weeks earlier but was not sent to a dentist, and lawmakers have demanded an investigation and release of his full medical records.
Autopsy Finds Untreated Tooth Infection Led To Death Of ICE Detainee
An ICE Detainee Died from a Tooth Infection, Autopsy Report Says
A Maricopa County medical examiner's autopsy has concluded that 56-year-old Haitian national Emmanuel Damas died on March 2 from complications of an untreated tooth infection while in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody in Arizona.
The report states Damas "died as a result of Complications of Necrotizing Mediastinitis with Neck and Retropharyngeal Abscess in the setting of Severe Dental Caries and Periodontal Disease." Necrotizing mediastinitis is a severe, often life-threatening infection of the chest, and a retropharyngeal abscess is a large collection of pus behind the throat that can obstruct breathing and spread infection.
Damas was housed at the Central Arizona Florence Correctional Center, a private facility that holds ICE detainees. He was transferred to a local hospital on Feb. 19 after being diagnosed with acute respiratory failure caused by septic shock. He was placed on a ventilator and remained on life support until his death on March 2.
ICE's report on Damas's death says he "received regular medical and dental evaluations" and that he declined recommendations for tooth extractions. His brother, Presley Nelson, however told Arizona Family that Damas complained of a toothache in mid-February and was not referred to a dentist. Nelson said he believes facility staff did not take the complaint seriously, despite the condition being treatable.
Context And Broader Concerns
The autopsy and family allegations come amid a broader surge in deaths and complaints of neglect in ICE detention. Other recent high-profile cases include the death of Geraldo Lunas Campos at a Texas detention center, which the El Paso medical examiner later ruled a homicide by asphyxiation, and the death of Marie Ange Blaise in Florida, where witnesses and family members alleged delayed or denied care.
Lawmakers Respond: Representative Adelita Grijalva (D–Ariz.) said a toothache "should never escalate into a fatal medical emergency, especially while someone is in government custody and entirely dependent on detention staff for access to care." In March, Grijalva and two other Arizona Democrats requested an investigation and the release of Damas's full medical records; they say those records and full transparency have not yet been provided.
The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The autopsy findings were first reported by the Arizona Mirror and were obtained by media through public records requests.
Why This Matters: The case highlights questions about the quality and timeliness of medical and dental care in detention settings, how medical complaints are documented and acted upon, and the oversight of privately operated facilities that hold federal detainees.
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