Thread: TX: Tragic story of suicide by IA teen

THIS IS ONE OF THE SADDEST STORIES I HAVE SEEN BUT IT WOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED IF THIS YOUNG MAN HADN'T COME HERE ILLEGALLY. WHOEVER BROUGHT HIM HERE BEARS MOST OF THE GUILT FOR THIS TRAGIC OUTCOME. YOU CANNOT BRING PEOPLE WHERE THERE IS NO LEGAL BASIS FOR THEM TO BE. THIS IS THE PARAMOUNT RISK AND THE DEADLY LIE AT THE BOTTOM OF IT ALL.

MANY PEOPLE HAVE LEFT COMMENTS AT THIS PAPER'S WEBSITE.
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Teen's hanging in jail fuels many questions
Arrest for illegal turn starts the end of migrant's dream

By DANE SCHILLER Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
Aug. 22, 2008, 11:25PM
283Comments 4Recommend 1 2 3 4

JULIO CORTEZ CHRONICLE
Adolfo Chavez, 27, with belongings of brother Arturo, reflects Wednesday in Webster on the teen's apparent hanging 48 hours after Arturo's arrest. Officials are still investigating his death, which has been ruled a suicide.

LEAGUE CITY — The 17-year-old's lifeless body was frozen in a sitting position in solitary-confinement at the Galveston County Jail.

Arturo Chavez's back was flush against a 7-foot partition for the cell's shower. A blue blanket was twisted into a noose, with one end wrapped around his neck, the other tied to a shower head.

He apparently hanged himself about 48 hours after being arrested for what started as an illegal left turn.

It may never be known what swept over Chavez, who illegally emigrated from Guatemala four years ago and spent much of his time trying to improve his English and working to send money home.

"If he did it, it was because he was so beaten down he couldn't take the pain," his older brother Adolfo Chavez said of the suicide.

What is certain is that his life was similar to those of countless people who live in the shadows of society due to their immigration status, and that things hurtled out of control after police pulled him over the night of Aug. 1.

Officials are still investigating his death, ruled a suicide.

A federal lawsuit was filed by Chavez's parents against the League City Police Department, Galveston County and Sheriff Gean Leonard. The lawsuit contends not enough was done to keep Chavez from killing himself.

Those who knew Chavez said, like many undocumented immigrants, he feared any run-in with authorities as it would likely mean he would be deported.

He left Central America when he was 13 and wanted more out of life than he could get with tips loading baggage at a bus station.

Relatives say it took him nearly 15 days to get to Houston, including sneaking into Mexico and riding a passenger bus north.

He crossed the Rio Grande and hiked through South Texas.

Human smugglers demanded $3,500 to guide him, a hefty sum met with help from family and friends.

In Houston, he was known for his hustle and held out hope his improving English skills would get him promoted from busboy to waiter.

Chavez's death was a mystery as much as a shock, said Mario Garcia, who owns the restaurant where Chavez worked.

"I don't understand how you can go from making a mistake to losing your life, I'm dumbfounded by it," Garcia said. "There are two sides to every story, and the truth is probably somewhere right in the middle."


$100 sent home weekly
The kid known by his family as niño, Spanish for boy, had come a long way since leaving his indigenous village. He was sending home at least $100 a week to help his mother, father and sister.

He was not only working full time, but attending Clear Creek High School's program to help newly arrived international students.

He wore woven bracelets made of blue and white yarn — the colors of Guatemala's flag — as well as an anklet with the U.S.A.'s red, white and blue.

"He was very proud of his Mayan heritage," said Elizabeth Laurence, one of his teachers. "He was a feisty young fellow, popular and wanted to learn English very much. He wasn't timid; he tried to use it."

Things were going well with his girlfriend, Jhoseline Martell, whom he met at school.

As the police cruiser's lights flashed behind him near Louisiana Street and League City Parkway, Chavez dialed Martell on his cell phone and stuffed it in his pocket.

"He said the police have stopped me, just listen," recalled Martell, 15.

He normally rode a bicycle to avoid such trouble, but he had recently bought a used green Honda sedan.

He had no driver's license, no insurance and what turned out later to be a fake identification card.

He was arrested and taken to jail. His mugshot was taken while he wore the red shirt from his job as a busboy.


Excessive force alleged
All he had made for himself in the U.S. seemed to hang in the balance as Chavez was locked up at the police station and awaiting transfer to county jail.

At one point, when the holding-cell door was opened, Chavez bolted for freedom, according to a police report.

With officers running behind, the 5-foot-3-inch Chavez made it outside and scrambled up a chain-link fence, but was grabbed by the feet.

The wire atop the fence ripped into his hands.

In the scramble, he was shocked twice with a taser and hit multiple times with a baton, according to police.

Houston attorney Randall Kallinen said the officers used excessive force to apprehend Chavez.

"He had been severely beaten," said Kallinen, who added that a head injury could bring on suicidal thoughts — a mix worsened by solitary confinement. Results of an autopsy are pending.

Gary Ratliff, assistant chief of the League City Police Department, said officers used the minimum of force to catch the fleeing prisoner.

"None of us know what this kid was thinking; no one knows what pushed him to that regard," he said of suicide.

"I really seriously feel for that family. That is a void you just can't fill," he said.


Body sent to Guatemala
Adolfo Chavez, who wears a Rosary identical to the one his brother was buried with, spoke quietly as he described how Arturo came to America to chase a dream.

He also recalled their last phone conversation from jail.

The kid always fighting for a better life sounded broken.

He was now looking at escape charges, resisting arrest, and his body ached.

Adolfo said Arturo asked him to call his parents.

"He said, 'Tell them I love them, and I've always tried to be a good son. I can't take it anymore.' "

Arturo Chavez's body was back in Guatemala last week for a funeral at his parents' home. Family and friends had to raise $6,000 to send his remains back home.

Relatives in the U.S. couldn't afford to attend.

His father, Juan Chavez, said he could hardly believe the condition of his son's body. His face, skull and back were bruised.

His legs were swollen. One hand was torn up.

"He's at peace now," the father said.

dane.schiller@chron.com

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/hea ... 61294.html

Seriously, trying to escape from jail!! What did he think was gonna happen. These people will always be running and it is their own fault. He should have tried to come here the legal way. There are MANY american's that take their lives everyday. Life is hard sometimes and some people can't take it. It is not the U.S.'s fault that he broke our laws and was caught. When you are found to do something wrong you pay the price. You make it right. It's sad that he just gave up but no one but himself is to blame.

How typical that his illegal family is suing us when it was all his and their fault. Ho-hum. I think the word "accountability" has no translation in Spanish.

I'm sorry he killed himself, but THAT WAS HIS CHOICE TOO. He is the only one to blame for that.

He had no driver's license, no insurance and what turned out later to be a fake identification card. On top of that he was an illegal who attempted an escape while in custody!

I'm sorry this guy killed himself, but he demonstrated a complete lack of respect for every law he ever came into contact with! He absolutely deserved to be behind bars and then deported. The fact he felt it necessary to kill himself is now between him and God...

Latest webpost to story:

CandiruFish wrote:
You know I was taught that in America everyone had rights, even criminals and people who made illegal left turns. I hope there is an investigation by an outside agency into this matter. I am disgusted by this story and I expect to be disgusted by this thread.
8/23/2008 1:16:34 AM

Get a grip, CanduriFish. If you are working without a legal document that you can work or working with a fake ID, or driving without a license, you have compounded your criminal-status, first crime being coming here illegally in the first place.
I blame his family for forcing him into this situation at age 13!
It is a very sad story, because perhaps he could have learned enough here to GO HOME and help change his country.
Living in the shadows as a young teenager in a country where you don't understand the language has to be a terrifying experience.

It's so sad a young person like this is so desperate not to be sent home he would put his self in this situation. The fault lies with his home country for making him feel that hopeless. Also the emplorers who encourage this lawlessness for profit.

What is certain is that his life was similar to those of countless people who live in the shadows of society due to their immigration status, and that things hurtled out of control after police pulled him over the night of Aug. 1.
He left Central America when he was 13 and wanted more out of life than he could get with tips loading baggage at a bus station.

Here we go with the shadow people again, We need to put employers in jail for breaking the laws and hiring 13 years old slaves to avoid taxes and labor laws, they are the criminals.

Those who knew Chavez said, like many undocumented immigrants, he feared any run-in with authorities as it would likely mean he would be deported.

But not so much that he wouldn't drive without a license, insurance or a fake ID.

"I don't understand how you can go from making a mistake to losing your life, I'm dumbfounded by it," "

I do it's called mental illness. Why is that anybodies fault?

Relatives in the U.S. couldn't afford to attend.

I wonder why not?

Any suicide of a young person is tragic. We had countless suicides of young hispanic girls because of the undo pressures the families placed on them....countless Romeo and Juliet suicides with teens who's parents forbid they date a white, black, asian or latino.......I find it sad when suicide or murder is the only answer to any of lifes problems.....young, old or in-between.

Originally Posted by crazybird

Any suicide of a young person is tragic. We had countless suicides of young hispanic girls because of the undo pressures the families placed on them....countless Romeo and Juliet suicides with teens who's parents forbid they date a white, black, asian or latino.......I find it sad when suicide or murder is the only answer to any of lifes problems.....young, old or in-between.

That is true, CB. "Suicide is a permanent solution for a temporary problem."

In League City, Texas the ILLEGALS have a "day labor" site less than 100 feet from the Police Station furnished with parking for their bicycles. Also on the same quarter mile long road the ILLEGALS loiter in front of the City swimming pool and at the City library sleeping on the chairs and benches both inside the library and in front of the library. The ILLEGALS continuously enter the library to use the restrooms and on at least one occasion that I witnessed, a librarian had to run ILLEGALS off the computers in the children section, this seems very unsafe for both the children and the librarians. Why would a city allow this to continue?

IF our National Borders had been Secured and our Immigration Laws Enforced then just maybe this young man would be alive and well in his "home" country!

It does not look as if our National Leaders(?), President and Congressional Leadership, have any desire to Secure our National Borders and Enforce our Immigration Laws and it will be up to our LOCAL and STATE elected and appointed officials to PROTECT UNITED STATES CITIZENS from the invasion of the ILLEGALS. It's sad but neither of the Presidential candidates from two "major(?)" political parties want to protect the Citizens of the United States!

Ex_OC wrote:

How typical that his illegal family is suing us when it was all his and their fault. Ho-hum. I think the word "accountability" has no translation in Spanish.

You're right, the family members that encouraged him and paid for his trip should being accepting most of the blame.