OSINT Report: Genry Ruiz Guillen - ICE Detention Death¶

Date of Research: February 5, 2026
Published by: Mortui Vivos Docent Intelligence Project
Subject: Genry Ruiz Guillen - Death in ICE custody
Confidence: HIGH

Executive Summary¶

On January 23, 2025, Genry Ruiz Guillen, a 29-year-old Honduran construction worker, died at Larkin Community Hospital in Hialeah, Florida after 51 days in ICE custody. He had been detained at the Krome Service Processing Center in Miami. Ruiz Guillen reported dizziness, headaches, and fainting spells for weeks before his death. ICE claims he died from "complications of schizoaffective disorder" but the autopsy showed rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown) and multiple drugs in his system. Former NYC Chief Medical Examiner Michael Baden stated "mental illness, by itself, is not a proper cause of death" and noted rhabdomyolysis "can develop in people who have been restrained." His mother says he called in December saying he felt like fainting - it was their last conversation.

First death of 2025.

VICTIM PROFILE¶

Genry Donaldo Ruiz Guillen
- Age: 29 years old
- Country: Honduras
- Occupation: Construction worker in the U.S.
- Arrived in U.S.: June 2023
- First encountered: June 18, 2023 by U.S. Border Patrol
- Released on parole: July 14, 2023
- Re-arrested: October 29, 2024 (Pinellas County, FL - local law enforcement encounter)
- Time in final custody: 51 days (Oct 29 - Dec 9 at Krome, then hospitalized Dec 9 - Jan 23)
- Died: January 23, 2025, 8:07 AM

THE INCIDENT - January 23, 2025¶

Location: Larkin Community Hospital Palm Springs campus, Hialeah, Florida
Detention Facility: Krome Service Processing Center, Miami, Florida

Timeline¶

June 18, 2023:
- First encountered by U.S. Border Patrol
- Transferred to ICE ERO on June 21, 2023
- Released under parole July 14, 2023

October 29, 2024:
- Re-arrested by ICE after local law enforcement encounter in Pinellas County, FL
- Detained at Krome Service Processing Center

November-December 2024 (Weeks at Krome):
- Repeatedly reported dizziness and headaches
- ICE hospital staff gave him "multiple medications" over ~6 weeks
- Family account: Called mother in December, said he felt like fainting
- Symptoms worsened progressively

December 9, 2024:
- Hospitalized at Larkin Community Hospital (first hospital)
- Condition serious enough to require outside medical care

January 1, 2025:
- Transferred to Larkin Behavioral Health Hospital Services
- Reason: Psychiatric treatment
- Suggests ICE attributed symptoms to mental health issues

January 8, 2025:
- Transferred to Larkin Community Hospital Palm Springs
- Reason: "Unresolved rhabdomyolysis"
- Rhabdomyolysis: Muscle breakdown releasing proteins into bloodstream (can be fatal)
- Can be caused by physical restraint, dehydration, medication interactions

January 23, 2025, 8:07 AM:
- Pronounced dead by medical professionals
- ICE claims: "Had difficulty breathing, prompting a medical emergency"
- 45 days after first hospitalization
- 86 days total in custody (51 at Krome + 35 in hospital)

MEDICAL CARE TIMELINE¶

Pattern of Inadequate Response¶

Weeks of Complaints (Nov-Dec 2024):
- Ruiz Guillen reported dizziness, headaches repeatedly
- ICE staff response: "Multiple medications" (unspecified)
- No hospitalization despite ongoing symptoms
- Family last contact: December call reporting fainting spells

First Hospitalization (Dec 9):
- After ~6 weeks of complaints, finally hospitalized
- Suggests condition became too severe to ignore

Psychiatric Transfer (Jan 1):
- Moved to behavioral health facility
- ICE attributing symptoms to mental illness?
- 23 days before death

Rhabdomyolysis Discovery (Jan 8):
- Transferred specifically for "unresolved rhabdomyolysis"
- This is a serious, life-threatening condition
- 15 days before death
- Question: When did rhabdomyolysis develop?

Death (Jan 23):
- After 45 days of hospitalization
- "Difficulty breathing, prompting a medical emergency"
- Medical interventions insufficient

AUTOPSY CONTROVERSY¶

Official ICE Cause of Death¶

ICE/Autopsy Claims:
- "Complications of schizoaffective disorder"
- Mental illness as primary cause

Expert Rebuttal - Dr. Michael Baden¶

Michael Baden, Former NYC Chief Medical Examiner:

"Mental illness, by itself, is not a proper cause of death"

Baden's Findings:
1. Too many drugs in system: Polypharmacy concerns
2. Rhabdomyolysis: "Can develop in people who have been restrained"
3. Improper cause attribution: Mental illness doesn't kill by itself

Critical Questions About Cause¶

What specific drugs? Which medications caused "too many drugs"?
Restraint history? Was Ruiz Guillen physically restrained at Krome?
When did rhabdomyolysis develop? During detention or hospitalization?
Dehydration/neglect? Rhabdomyolysis can result from inadequate hydration
Drug interactions? Did "multiple medications" cause rhabdomyolysis?

RHABDOMYOLYSIS - KEY MEDICAL ISSUE¶

What is Rhabdomyolysis?¶

Breakdown of muscle tissue
Releases muscle proteins (myoglobin) into bloodstream
Can cause kidney failure and death
Can be fatal if untreated

Common Causes in Detention Settings¶

Physical restraint - prolonged or violent
Dehydration - inadequate water access
Medication side effects - especially antipsychotics
Physical trauma - injury, excessive force
Heat exposure - detention facilities often hot

Timeline Question¶

January 8: Transferred for "unresolved rhabdomyolysis"
This means condition existed BEFORE January 8
Ruiz Guillen was at Krome from Oct 29 - Dec 9 (41 days)
Did rhabdomyolysis develop at Krome? If so, WHY?

FAMILY TESTIMONY¶

Mother's Account¶

Via Univision:
- Spoke to son three times while in ICE detention
- December call: He said he "felt like fainting"
- After that call: Never heard from him again
- Traveled to Krome for answers
- ICE refused to give her any information

Family Left in Dark¶

Son reported serious symptoms (fainting)
Family never informed he was hospitalized Dec 9
Never notified he was in hospital for 45 days
Never told he had life-threatening rhabdomyolysis
Found out he died from ICE notification - no details

Pattern: ICE denying family information about deteriorating condition

KROME SERVICE PROCESSING CENTER¶

Context - Facility History¶

Location: Miami-Dade County, Florida
Type: ICE Service Processing Center (detention facility)
Operator: ICE-run facility

Multiple Deaths in Early 2025¶

Three deaths at Krome in first months of 2025:
1. Jan 23: Genry Ruiz Guillen (29, Honduras)
2. Jan 29: Serawit Gezahegn Dejene (45, Ethiopia) - 6 days later
3. Apr 25: Marie Ange Blaise (44, Haiti) - 3 months later

ACLU Florida Statement (after 3rd death):

"Three deaths in ICE custody in just over a month of Trump's presidency marks the most deaths to occur in this fiscal year time period in five years"

Pattern: Krome had at least 3 deaths in first 4 months of 2025

INVESTIGATION STATUS¶

Federal:
- ICE internal review (unknown status)
- No independent federal investigation announced
- Death report available via FOIA (ICE public PDF)

Medical Examiner:
- Autopsy performed (cause: schizoaffective disorder complications)
- No independent review announced
- Former NYC Chief ME Baden disputed findings

State (Florida):
- No state investigation publicly announced
- No Florida authorities involvement

Family:
- Mother seeking answers
- ICE refused to provide information at Krome
- No family access to medical records

Advocacy:
- United We Dream honored his life
- ACLU Florida raised concerns about Krome pattern
- Detention Watch Network tracking deaths

CRITICAL QUESTIONS¶

About Medical Care¶

What medications? What "multiple medications" were given for 6 weeks?
Why delay hospitalization? Why wait 6 weeks to hospitalize someone reporting fainting?
Psychiatric misattribution? Was serious physical condition dismissed as mental illness?
Rhabdomyolysis cause? What caused muscle breakdown?
Restraint history? Was he physically restrained (per Baden's comment)?

About Detention Conditions¶

Water access? Adequate hydration at Krome?
Medical staffing? Qualified staff to recognize serious symptoms?
Response protocols? At what point should he have been hospitalized?
Family notification? Why wasn't family told he was hospitalized for 45 days?

About Autopsy¶

Independent review? Will independent pathologist examine findings?
Drug toxicology? Full report on "too many drugs"?
Restraint evidence? Physical signs of restraint?
Timeline of rhabdomyolysis? When did muscle breakdown begin?

PATTERN ANALYSIS¶

Medical Neglect Pattern¶

Comparison to other 2025/2026 deaths:
- Luis Beltran Yanez-Cruz (Jan 6, 2026): Weeks of requesting care, only "pills"
- Parady La (Jan 9, 2026): Begged for help 24 hours, died from withdrawal
- Genry Ruiz Guillen (Jan 23, 2025): Weeks of complaints, "multiple medications," died

Pattern: Detained people report symptoms → Given medications → Condition worsens → Hospitalized too late → Death

Mental Health Misattribution¶

Pattern across deaths:
- Physical symptoms attributed to mental health
- Delays hospitalization while treating "psychiatric" issues
- Actual physical conditions (rhabdomyolysis) develop untreated
- Death occurs before physical cause addressed

Krome Deaths - January 2025¶

Six days apart:
1. Jan 23: Genry Ruiz Guillen (29, Honduras)
2. Jan 29: Serawit Gezahegn Dejene (45, Ethiopia)

Question: What conditions at Krome led to 2 deaths in 6 days?

ASSESSMENT¶

Confidence: HIGH

✅ Confirmed:
- Genry Ruiz Guillen, 29, Honduran construction worker
- Died Jan 23, 2025, 8:07 AM at Larkin Hospital, Hialeah, FL
- Detained at Krome Oct 29, 2024
- Reported dizziness, headaches, fainting for weeks
- Hospitalized Dec 9 (41 days after detention began)
- Developed rhabdomyolysis (by Jan 8 at latest)
- Autopsy: "Complications of schizoaffective disorder"
- Former NYC Chief ME disputes cause
- Family denied information by ICE

⚠️ Disputed:
- ICE cause of death attribution
- Whether mental illness caused death or physical neglect
- Whether restraint caused rhabdomyolysis
- Adequacy of medical care at Krome

🔴 Critical Issues:
- Expert dispute of cause: Baden says mental illness not proper cause
- Rhabdomyolysis: Life-threatening condition linked to restraint/neglect
- Weeks of ignored symptoms: Dizziness, fainting reported repeatedly
- Delayed hospitalization: 6 weeks before outside medical care
- Polypharmacy: "Too many drugs" per Baden
- Family denied info: Mother couldn't get answers at Krome
- Krome pattern: 3 deaths in 4 months at single facility

Assessment: High probability that death was preventable with appropriate medical care. Weeks of symptoms with inadequate response, development of rhabdomyolysis (potentially from restraint or neglect), and expert dispute of ICE's cause attribution suggest medical neglect. Baden's statement that rhabdomyolysis "can develop in people who have been restrained" raises serious questions about treatment at Krome.

Recommendation: Demand independent autopsy review, full toxicology report, investigation into Krome restraint practices, review of medical care protocols, and independent investigation into 3 deaths at Krome in 4 months.

SOURCES¶

Official ICE Documents¶

News & Investigation¶

Advocacy & Tracking¶

FOIA Requests¶

Research completed: February 5, 2026, 09:45 UTC
Status: First 2025 death documented (1/31 complete)
Next: Serawit Gezahegn Dejene (Jan 29, 2025) - died at same facility 6 days later

Published by Mortui Vivos Docent Intelligence Project
Methodology: Bellingcat-standard OSINT — public sources only