LEXINGTON, Ky. — The family of a 42-year-old Honduran citizen who died in ICE custody last week is working to bring his body home for burial.
According to LEX 18, his daughter and a former girlfriend in Lexington are coordinating the effort to return Santos Reyes-Banegas’ body.
“My baby has to suffer for the rest of her life knowing that her dad was taken by the hands of our government,” said Mary Diaz, Reyes-Banegas’ former girlfriend.
The initial cause of death was reported as liver failure, and Reyes-Banegas had a history of drinking. However, Diaz said she doubts that explanation, noting that Reyes-Banegas had a physically demanding routine when they were together in 2014 and appeared healthy.
The family learned of his death from another prisoner who had been at the same facility. Nearly a week after his passing, Diaz is traveling to New York to seek closure and obtain medical records.
A funeral service will be held in Kentucky before transporting his remains to Honduras, where his extended family lives. His daughter has also started a fundraiser to cover the costs of returning his body, with GoFundMe pages set up in both Kentucky and New York.
ICE confirmed that the death remains under investigation.
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