The family of Daphy Michel is planning to file a lawsuit against the United States government and other entities following her death in Pittsburgh earlier this year. Michel, a 31-year-old asylum seeker from Haiti, was released from Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody on February 27. She was dropped off in the city alone, wearing summer clothing, during a period where temperatures reached 20F.
Michel was found dead three days later at a local bus shelter. Pennsylvania officials have officially ruled her death a homicide caused by hypothermia. Before her release, Michel had spent six months in a county jail following a mental health crisis. Reports indicate she struggled with untreated mental health issues and significant language barriers, factors her legal representative argues made her release in those conditions a severe judgment error.
Surveillance footage obtained through public records shows Michel spent approximately 24 hours at the bus shelter before being found unresponsive. While the Department of Homeland Security previously stated her phone was charged and the weather was fair, her attorney, Joseph Murphy, noted that her phone plan had expired during her time in jail.
This case has drawn significant attention due to its similarities to another recent death in Buffalo, where a Rohingya refugee died after being abandoned at a closed business by border agents. Pittsburgh detectives are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. The forthcoming lawsuit seeks to address accountability for the procedures that led to Michel being left in an unfamiliar environment without adequate support or resources.