DeAraujo

Did Edimar Alves DeAraujo have to die?

DeAraujo, a 34-year-old Brazilian national from Milford, Mass., died about 75 minutes after federal immigration agents took him into custody Tuesday on an outstanding deportation warrant.

Yesterday, DeAraujo’s family and a host of community advocacy groups called for a state and federal investigation into what they called “a needless and tragic death.”

They took umbrage at both Woonsocket police, who arrested DeAraujo on a traffic violation Tuesday afternoon, and federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement authorities, in whose custody DeAraujo suffered an apparent seizure.

DeAraujo’s sister, Irene DeAraujo of Woonsocket, alleged through a family spokesperson that Woonsocket police refused to accept anti-seizure medications that she brought to the station; medication she said her brother needed to take daily, to prevent epileptic seizures. The spokesperson said Irene DeAraujo then contacted Milford police, who also did not help.

“His family is really devastated and in mourning. This was a preventable death,” said Vera Dias-Freitas, the family’s spokeswoman. “His sister tried to convey very hard that her brother has a medical condition, but the Woonsocket police did not pay attention to her.”

Speaking of both law enforcement agencies, Dias-Freitas said, “People should know they denied him the right to live. They should know … he has a family in Brazil, and instead of getting him back alive, they will get him back in a box.”

Woonsocket Police Chief Michael L.A. Houle defended his department’s actions. He said a woman believed to be Irene DeAraujo did attempt to bring medications to her brother, but an officer told her that DeAraujo had already been taken to the immigration facility in downtown Providence.

Houle also said DeAraujo never said he felt ill, or mentioned a medical condition while in custody.

ICE spokeswoman Paula Grenier said Wednesday that agents immediately called 9-1-1 after DeAraujo “showed signs of physical distress” while in their custody, and worked on him until rescue personnel arrived.

DeAraujo “was pronounced dead at Rhode Island Hospital at 4:18 p.m.”

Meanwhile, the International Institute of Rhode Island, the Rhode Island affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union, and the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition were among those demanding answers.

“It wasn’t until the day after the death, that information became public about what happened,” said a statement from Eva Milona, MIRA policy director.

“That the facts have been so slow in coming to light is indicative of the cloud of secrecy under which immigration enforcement operates today. Due process, fair treatment, and common human decency are often the first victims of unchecked arrests and imprisonment,” she said.

The ACLU demanded a review of police department medical policies in light of DeAraujo’s death.

William Shuey, executive director of the International Institute, said DeAraujo’s death “would seem to have been completely unnecessary, and it is — at best — difficult to see why it happened.”

Shuey said the Institute is calling on U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy, who represents Woonsocket, and other elected officials to press “for a full and open investigation” into DeAraujo’s death.

Community advocates, family and friends said DeAraujo’s illegal status was immaterial in this case, and that his human rights were violated.

Dias-Freitas said of Irene DeAraujo, “At one point, she was very frustrated. She said, ‘Vera, this is not a pig that died. It’s a human being.’ That’s when she had a breakdown and that’s when I cried.”

Providence Fire Chief George Farrell provided a timeline yesterday which revealed that DeAraujo apparently suffered a seizure while at the ICE detention and removal center on Dyer Street.

Department records show that dispatch received a call at 3:37 p.m. One minute later, Engine 9 was dispatched, along with a mutual aid rescue from out of town.

Engine 9 arrived at 3:45 p.m., and radioed to headquarters “that they had a 34-year-old man who appeared to be in a seizure.” At 3:50 p.m., Rescue 1, from the Allens Avenue station, arrived on the scene.

At 4:07 p.m., Engine 9 and Rescue 1 began taking DeAraujo to the Rhode Island Hospital emergency room.

One minute later, Rescue 1 radioed headquarters that they had “a Code 99,” which means cardiopulmonary resuscitation in progress.

Farrell was unable to provide the exact time that Rescue 1 arrived at Rhode Island Hospital, or whether DeAraujo was dead on arrival.

The state medical examiner’s office said the cause of death “is pending further studies,” and that “ancillary testing may require up to three months.”

Houle, the Woonsocket police chief, gave an account of DeAraujo’s arrest on Tuesday, and what happened while DeAraujo was in his department’s custody. Lt. Kenneth Paulhus, the arresting officer, gave the same account.

Houle said, “The loss of any life is tragic to any family. But while he was with us, he never indicated he was sick,” or that he had a medical condition. “It was a regular arrest.”

Houle declined to release the full report of the incident because “it’s under investigation.”

According to Houle, Paulhus stopped DeAraujo at 12:30 p.m., for driving the wrong way on Social Street. DeAraujo did not have a driver’s license, and at first “was not forthcoming,” providing a name that later proved not to be his own.

Paulhus arrested DeAraujo, took him to the station, fingerprinted and photographed him, then handcuffed DeAraujo to a “secure bar” while Paulhus wrote his report.

Paulhus said he called immigration authorities after he learned DeAraujo did not have a license or other identification.

DeAraujo was issued a ticket and summons to return, and “we were ready to release him,” Paulhus said. DeAraujo made several cell phone calls, apparently to arrange a ride home.

A fingerprint check through a national database revealed that DeAraujo had an outstanding deportation warrant from 2002.

Paulhus called ICE in Providence, and the agents said they’d be up in about 20 or 30 minutes, said Houle.

Last night, Houle said he’d learned from questioning his officers that a woman who he believes to be Irene DeAraujo, came to the station twice. The first time, she said she was waiting for her brother.

“She sat in the lobby for a period of time,” said Houle, then left.

Directly thereafter, a man named Gary Fernandez arrived. He told Houle he was there on the family’s behalf, and that DeAraujo “may be in need of insulin.” Paulhus then came out to speak with Fernandez, said Houle, and told Fernandez that DeAraujo was already in ICE custody and on his way to Providence.

At that point, said Houle, Lt. Paulhus called immigration agents in Providence to tell them that DeAraujo had a medical condition that they should be aware of. Houle said that the agents were en route to Providence at that time.

Shortly thereafter, “at about 3:29 or 3:30, the female or sister returned, and told the station officer “that she’s here for her brother — he has medical issues and he needs medication.”

The station officer, whose job involves taking complaints, told the woman that DeAraujo had left about half an hour ago “and was already at immigration,” and that if she needed to contact him, she could reach him at the Providence immigration office.

“And there it is. She left,” said Houle.

With reports from Staff Writer Amanda Milkovits

kziner@projo.com