Brayan Garzón-Rayo
November 23, 1997 / April 8, 2025
Brayan Garzón Rayo was a Colombian citizen who fled Bogota along with his mother and sisters due to escalating threats of violence and harassment from local police, and in hopes of building a safer life for his sisters. Brayan’s mother and sisters have ongoing asylum cases citing the prevalence of femicide in the country. Brayan did not have an active asylum case.
On May 27, 2024 Brayan was arrested by Shrewsbury police for shoplifting and when he missed his Hearing they put a warrant out for his arrest. On March 11, 2025 Brayan was apprehended by the St Louis Metropolitan police when he approached them after witnessing them photographing their cars. Brayan was booked into the Saint Louis County Jail and when he was released on March 25 2025 ICE arrested him and detained him at Phelps County Jail in Rolla MO.
Brayan was examined on March 27th by an LPN who documented normal vital signs, but noted labored breathing, a history of anxiety and a heart murmur. In addition to the intake exam the LPN administered a tuberculosis test and referred him for a mental health and cardiac consult. On March 29th an RN read his Tuberculosis test and noted that it was positive. It was also noted that he was experiencing flu like symptoms and as a result staff referred him to the ER. While at the ER Bryan tested positive Covid 19. He was treated and sent back to Phelps County Jail.
On April 5th an RN rescheduled his mental health consult citing his Covid diagnosis.
On April 7, 2025 Brayan was found unresponsive in his cell, due to an apparent suicide attempt. In an effort to keep him alive staff administered CPR. Brayan was then transferred to Phelps Health Hospital in Rolla MO and from there he was transferred to Mercy
South Hospital on April 8, in St. Louis, MO where he was placed on a ventilator. On that same day a CT scan revealed that there was no brain activity and hospital staff pronounced him deceased.
Links:
https://www.ice.gov/doclib/foia/reports/ddrBrayanRAYO-Garzon.pdf
https://www.stlpr.org/law-order/2025-04-25/st-louis-police-brayan-garzon-rayo-ice-immigration-dead