Tooth infection and dental disease cited as cause of death for Haitian man in ICE custody

U.S. newsTooth infection and dental disease cited as cause of death for Haitian man in ICE custody The Maricopa County Medical Examiner published its findings online, but said it has not yet released a preliminary report into the March death of Emmanuel Damas, 56.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Emmanuel Damas, a Haitian man who was taken into ICE custody in September, died in an immigration detention center in Florence, Ariz. on March 2, 2026.Presly Nelson via APShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 15, 2026, 7:33 PM EDTBy Suzanne GamboaTooth infection and dental disease have been cited as the cause of death for a Haitian man who died in ICE custody this spring, according to the Maricopa County medical examiner’s office. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Emmanuel Damas, 56, died March 2 in a hospital in Scottsdale, Arizona. ICE said he was transported to the hospital on Feb. 19 after complaining of shortness of breath while at the Florence Detention Center in Florence, Ariz. Damas was taken into custody in September and remained detained until his death. The Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s website now lists Damas’ primary cause of death as “Complications of Necrotizing Mediastinitis with Neck and Retropharyngeal Abcess in the setting of Severe Dental Caries and Peridontal Disease.The report also lists the “manner of death” as “natural.”An operator at the medical examiner’s office said Friday that a preliminary report had not yet been issued and that reports are not released for 90 days. The medical examiner did not immediately return a message seeking comment Friday afternoon. The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately return a request for comment about the medical examiner’s findings Friday evening. Emmanuel Damas was transported to the hospital on Feb. 19 after complaining of shortness of breath while at the Florence Detention Center in Florence, Ariz. Jimmy Jenkins / Th...