Family demands answers after teen girl dies in NYPD custody
Community rallies after teen found dead in police custody
Tensions are running high outside the 41st Precinct in the Bronx after the death of 18-year-old Saniyah Cheatham, who was found unconscious in a holding cell just hours after being arrested on the Fourth of July. FOX 5 NY's Duarte Geraldino has the story.
BRONX - A Bronx family is demanding answers after 18-year-old Saniyah Cheatham was found unconscious in an NYPD holding cell just hours after being arrested on the Fourth of July.
Saniyah Cheatham, 18, was arrested on the Fourth of July and later found unconscious in an NYPD holding cell.
According to relatives, Saniyah had been celebrating at a barbecue in Crotona Park when she got into an argument with her girlfriend. She was arrested for what police later described as disorderly conduct tied to a domestic dispute.
What they're saying:
Police say Saniyah was discovered unresponsive around 12:40 a.m. on Saturday, July 5, inside the 41st Precinct stationhouse.
Officers claim they performed CPR before EMS arrived, and that Saniyah was taken to Lincoln Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
But the family says they received conflicting stories from officers.
Saniyah Cheatham's mother, Thomasina Cheatham.
Saniyah’s family says police told them that she had hung herself using a t-shirt inside the precinct, and that there was surveillance video.
Another officer allegedly said she passed out and officers tried to resuscitate her.
'She didn’t have on a sweater'
Saniyah’s mother, Thomasina Cheatham, said the explanations don’t add up.
"They roughed her up, they hurt her. I don’t believe my daughter committed suicide," she said. "She didn’t have on a sweater that day."
The family says Saniyah had no history of suicidal behavior and was not wearing clothing that could have been used in that way.
Who is Saniyah Cheatham?
Saniyah's family described her as a vibrant teen that was planning for college. Saniyah was apparently living at home with her mother at the time of her death.
"It's hurting so bad, it's hurting our family. I just want my daughter back, and she can't come back right now," Saniyah's mom says.
Family demands answers
What's next:
In a letter sent to media outlets, the Cheatham family accused the NYPD and the Administration for Children's Services (ACS) of a cover-up.
The family also says they haven’t been allowed to see Saniyah's body and were told they must wait 24 to 48 hours for autopsy results.
The other side:
The NYPD’s Force Investigation Division is still reviewing the case.
The Medical Examiner’s Office has not yet released an official cause or manner of death.
Cheatham’s relatives are urging police to release surveillance footage from inside the precinct and holding cell, anything that might provide answers about how an 18-year-old ended up dead after a holiday arrest.
So far, the NYPD has not released additional details, and the case remains under investigation.
This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or a loved one is feeling distressed, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The crisis center provides free and confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.