Serawit Gezahegn Dejene
March 29, 1979 / January 29, 2025
Serawit Gezahegn Dejene was an Ethiopian citizen who had come to the US on August 19, 2024 and was detained by ICE upon his arrival in the country, he had no previous criminal record. He was sent to Eloy Detention Center in Eloy AZ on August 21 and was cleared for general population in his initial medical screening.
On December 20, 2024 he complained that he was feeling very dizzy and fatigued, he had also lost 20% of his body weight. He was taken to the emergency room where tests pointed to probable lymphoma as the cause of his symptoms. A few days later he was diagnosed with acute respiratory distress, pneumonia, possible lymphoma, and a pericardial effusion. ICE claims that he was given treatment, but did not specify what the treatment was.
It was not until January 1, 2025 that his HIV status was identified. After realizing his immunocompromised status hospital staff diagnosed him with acute respiratory distress, pneumonia, possible lymphoma with metastases in the lungs, sepsis, supra-ventricular tachycardia, and ischemic stroke. As a result staff ordered oncology and palliative care consults.
On January 3, 2025 a biopsy of his lymph node revealed a tuberculosis infection and he was placed on a ventilator. On January 28th, after his condition had continued to deteriorate his next of kin requested that he be removed from life support, he passed away. the next day.
Links:
https://www.ice.gov/doclib/foia/reports/ddr-SerawitGezahegnDejene.pdf
https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ethiopian-national-ice-custody-passes-away-phoenix-area-hospital