For the second time in a month a Brazilian has died while in the custody of American authorities. Maxsuel Medeiros, 25, an illegal immigrant living in the state of Massachusetts, who was arrested Friday, September 7, after the car in which he was a passenger was stopped for a traffic violation, has died yesterday, September 11.
His death occurred in the Massachusetts General Hospital from an unknown cause, according to the Essex's District Attorney's office.
On August 7, Edimar Alves Araújo, 34, a Brazilian from Minas Gerais state, had died in Woonsocket, in Rhode Island state, also after have been arrested due to a traffic violation. Araújo died after having been handed to the ICE (Immigration and Custom Enforcement) for deportation to Brazil. Both victims had warrants against them.
Medeiros, who entered the US through Mexico, about eight years ago, worked as a roofer in Framingham, Massachusetts. The District Attorney informed that the state police had stopped the car he was in after a lane change violation on Interstate 497, at 5:20 pm. Even though the car belonged to Medeiros it was a friend of his who was driving it.
Authorities found then that the Brazilian had several aliases and two state warrants. Maxwell Pires and Maxeel Campos were some of the other names he used. Authorities, however, haven't revealed what the warrants against Medeiros were for.
He was at a cell at the Andover state police barracks when he fell ill on September 7. Authorities called 911 and he was immediately taken to Lawrence General Hospital. He was transferred later to the Massachusetts General Hospital where he ended up dying this Tuesday at about 6 am.
In an interview to the Boston Globe, Medeiros aunt, Meire Medeiros, lamented the young man's death. "He came here to have a better life. He never had any problems with his health; he was a young man," she said.
The aunt revealed that she and the family were told on Saturday that Maxsuel had apparently suffered a heart attack and was on a coma. The family decided to donate his organs.
Meire also told the newspaper that she has another nephew, Lucas, who is being deported to Brazil after having been detained by ICE last month in Framingham.
