Family questions treatment of Cambodian immigrant who died in ICE custody in Philadelphia
The family of a Cambodian immigrant who died while being held at the Federal Detention Center in Center City Philadelphia is demanding answers about his detention and the medical care he received before his death.
Relatives of 46-year-old Parady La say he deserved better than the treatment he received after being taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
La was picked up by agents on Tuesday near his home in Upper Darby, Delaware County, according to his family, who said they had been searching for him after he disappeared while going to the grocery store.
Family members found his car about half a mile from his home. ICE confirms agents pulled La over on Tuesday and took him into custody after verifying his identity.
Family members said La had long struggled with drug addiction and did not receive the care he needed for withdrawal while in custody. One day after he was brought in, La was found unresponsive in his cell at the detention center.
ICE said guards administered CPR and several doses of Narcan before La was taken to Jefferson Hospital. His family was notified at that point.
"To finally see him like that is heartbreaking," his daughter, Jazmine La, said.
She said her father "was a real person and people loved him."
His nephew, Michael La, says the family was told that Parady La was in a general population with dozens of other people in ICE custody and that had been "vomiting, begging for help, begging for water, and wasn't given water" while detained.
"We didn't know where he was," Michael La went on to say. "They were searching for him throughout the community."
Parady La was raised in the United States and obtained legal status after his parents emigrated from Cambodia. ICE said he later lost that status after committing crimes, some of which his family said occurred when he was a teenager, and were tied to his struggles with addiction.
"When you hear these ICE advocates saying, 'Get these people who snuck in here illegally,' he's not one of those," said Michael La.
In a statement, ICE said workers did provide La with proper medical care, saying, "ICE is committed to ensuring that all those in custody reside in safe, secure and humane environments. Comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment individuals arrive."
La's family disputes that claim and says they are determined to learn more about what happened.
"People need to realize this is happening in our community in our city of Philadelphia," said Jazmine La
The family is also questioning why Narcan was used on La, who they say was experiencing withdrawal. Narcan is typically used for overdoses.
State Sen. Art Haywood is pushing two pieces of legislation aimed at addressing ICE enforcement.
La's relatives say they will continue pressing for answers as they mourn his death.
