While handcuffed in a holding cell, Irene Chavez repeatedly told officers that she was experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and needed to see a therapist. Forty-five minutes later, she was found dead.
Relatives of Irene Chavez filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against the city and nearly a dozen Chicago police officers, claiming they ignored Chavez’s cries for help and refused to accommodate her mental health crisis following a December arrest.
The lawsuit claims the officers denied Chavez basic medical care after she repeatedly asserted she was a veteran dealing with PTSD, and an officer escalated the tension after aggressively shouting at Chavez.
Chicago s Civilian Office of Police Accountability says it has obtained additional body-worn camera video of officers responding to the suicide attempt of a woman in policy custody