OSINT Report: Jean Wilson Brutus - ICE Detention Death¶

Date of Research: February 5, 2026
Published by: Mortui Vivos Docent Intelligence Project
Subject: Jean Wilson Brutus - Death in ICE custody
Confidence: HIGH

PRIVATE CONTRACTOR: CORECIVIC

Facility operated by CoreCivic (formerly Corrections Corporation of America) — a for-profit prison corporation and the second-largest private prison company in the United States. CoreCivic operates Stewart Detention Center where Brutus was held. See Infrastructure for full contractor profiles.

Executive Summary¶

On December 12, 2025, Jean Wilson Brutus, a 41-year-old Haitian man, died at University Hospital in Newark, New Jersey, just 24 HOURS after entering ICE custody at Delaney Hall Detention Facility. He was arrested December 11 for criminal mischief (property damage) and transferred directly from Union County Jail to ICE detention. During intake, he showed "no signs of distress" and had "no medical history of cardiovascular issues." Within 24 hours, he experienced a medical emergency, was transported to University Hospital, and died December 12. ICE claims "suspected natural causes" but the official autopsy was "inconclusive." His family hired an independent firm for a second autopsy, stating: "We need another autopsy because we need clarity on what happened." This is the fourth death in December 2025, and the first of four deaths within a FOUR-DAY SPAN (Dec 12-15). His death sparked calls to close Delaney Hall and demands from Senator Cory Booker for a "clear accounting of what happened in this tragedy."

VICTIM PROFILE¶

Jean Wilson Brutus
- Age: 41 years old
- Country: Haiti (Croix-des-Bouquets)
- Immigration Status: Humanitarian parole (June 20, 2023)
- Residence: Elizabeth/Irvington, New Jersey
- Arrested: December 11, 2025 (Union County Jail, Elizabeth, NJ)
- Charge: Criminal mischief - damage to property
- Transferred to ICE: December 11, 2025 (after release from Union County Jail)
- Facility: Delaney Hall Detention Facility, Newark, NJ
- Time in ICE Custody: 24 hours (Dec 11 - Dec 12)
- Died: December 12, 2025
- Location of Death: University Hospital, Newark, NJ
- Family: Cousin Evans Beloni (spokesperson), multiple relatives in New Jersey

THE INCIDENT - December 12, 2025¶

Location: University Hospital, Newark, New Jersey
Detention Facility: Delaney Hall Detention Facility, Newark, NJ

Timeline¶

2018:
- Jean Wilson Brutus left Haiti for Brazil
- Seeking economic opportunities
- Part of Haitian diaspora migration pattern

June 20, 2023:
- Entered United States at Hidalgo Port of Entry, Hidalgo, Texas
- Admitted under Biden Administration's humanitarian parole program
- Legal entry and status

2023-2025:
- Relocated to New Jersey
- Lived with cousins in Irvington
- Originally from Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti
- Building life in United States

December 11, 2025:
- Arrested for criminal mischief - damage to property
- Held at Union County Jail, Elizabeth, NJ
- Released from jail
- Immediately transferred to ICE custody
- Transported to Delaney Hall Detention Facility, Newark

December 11, 2025 - Intake at Delaney Hall:
- Medical screening performed
- "No signs of distress during intake"
- "No medical history of cardiovascular issues"
- Cleared for general detention population

December 11-12, 2025 (within 24 hours):
- Experienced medical emergency
- Details of emergency not disclosed
- Type of medical crisis unknown
- Timing within 24-hour window unclear

Medical Response:
- Facility medical staff responded (details unknown)
- Local Emergency Medical Services (EMS) called
- EMS performed life-saving measures
- Transported to University Hospital, Newark

December 12, 2025:
- Hospital staff continued life-saving efforts
- Pronounced deceased
- Time of death not disclosed
- 24 hours after entering ICE custody

CAUSE OF DEATH¶

Official Cause (ICE Statement):
- "Suspected natural causes"

Official Autopsy:
- "INCONCLUSIVE"
- No definitive cause of death determined
- Raises serious questions about what killed him

Family Response:
- Rejected inconclusive finding
- Hired independent firm for second autopsy
- Cousin Evans Beloni: "We need another autopsy because we need clarity on what happened"

Critical Questions:
- How does a healthy 41-year-old with no cardiovascular history die within 24 hours?
- What medical emergency occurred?
- Why is autopsy inconclusive?
- What are they hiding?

THE 24-HOUR DEATH PROBLEM¶

Healthy at Intake, Dead 24 Hours Later¶

Intake Assessment (Dec 11):
- No signs of distress
- No cardiovascular history
- Medically cleared for detention

Death (Dec 12):
- Medical emergency within 24 hours
- Rapid deterioration
- Death despite life-saving measures

Possible Explanations:
1. Missed Medical Condition: Intake screening failed to detect serious issue
2. Trauma/Injury: Something happened in custody that caused medical crisis
3. Environmental: Detention conditions triggered health crisis
4. Stress-Induced: Acute stress response (cardiovascular event, stroke)
5. Unnatural Causes: Foul play, use of force, restraints

Why Autopsy is Inconclusive:
- If "natural causes," autopsy would show heart attack, stroke, aneurysm, etc.
- "Inconclusive" suggests:
- No obvious natural cause found
- Possible trauma not definitively determined
- Toxicology results pending or unclear
- Manner of death uncertain

Family Demands for Answers¶

Cousin Evans Beloni:

"We need another autopsy because we need clarity on what happened"

Implication:
- Family doesn't trust official autopsy
- "Inconclusive" is unacceptable for 24-hour death
- Independent review needed for transparency

DELANEY HALL DETENTION FACILITY¶

Facility Background¶

Location: Newark, New Jersey
Operator: CoreCivic (private contractor)
Type: ICE detention center
Reputation: Long history of complaints about conditions

History of Problems¶

Senator Cory Booker Statement:

"I oppose private detention centers and have condemned the inhumane conditions at Delaney Hall"

Advocacy Group Concerns:
- Long-standing calls for closure
- Reports of inadequate medical care
- Complaints about facility conditions
- Pattern of mistreatment allegations

Response to Brutus Death¶

Senator Cory Booker:

"I am deeply concerned about Brutus' death. There must be a clear accounting of what happened in this tragedy, and Delaney Hall must be closed."

Advocacy Groups:
- Renewed calls for immediate closure
- Citing Brutus death as evidence of deadly conditions
- Demanding independent investigation

Community:
- Protests and vigils
- Demands for transparency
- Calls for accountability

DECEMBER 2025 CONTEXT - FOUR DEATHS IN FOUR DAYS¶

Seven Deaths in December 2025¶

Jean Wilson Brutus was the FOURTH death in December 2025, and the FIRST of four deaths within a four-day span.

December Deaths:
1. Dec 3: Francisco Gaspar-Andrés (48, Guatemala)
2. Dec 5: Pete Sumalo Montejo (72, Philippines)
3. Dec 6: Shiraz Fatehali Sachwani (48, Pakistan)
4. Dec 12: Jean Wilson Brutus (41, Haiti) ← THIS CASE - START OF 4-DAY SPAN
5. Dec 14: Fouad Saeed Abdulkadir (46, Eritrea)
6. Dec 15: Nenko Stanev Gantchev (56, Bulgaria)
7. Dec 15: Delvin Francisco Rodriguez (39, Nicaragua)

Four Deaths in Four Days (Dec 12-15)¶

Unprecedented Pattern:
- December 12: Jean Wilson Brutus (Haiti)
- December 14: Fouad Saeed Abdulkadir (Eritrea)
- December 15: Nenko Stanev Gantchev (Bulgaria)
- December 15: Delvin Francisco Rodriguez (Nicaragua)

National Alarm:
- Media coverage intensified
- Congressional inquiries demanded
- Public outcry over pattern
- Questions about systemic failures

2025 Context¶

Total 2025 Deaths: 31-32 (highest since 2004)
Detention Population: 68,440 (December 2025) - record high
Medical Resources: Overwhelmed

CRITICAL QUESTIONS¶

About the Medical Emergency¶

What happened in 24 hours?
What type of medical emergency occurred?
When exactly did emergency begin (time)?
What symptoms did Brutus exhibit?
How quickly was medical help called?
Intake Screening Failure?
What medical screening was performed?
Who conducted screening?
Was screening adequate?
Could a serious condition have been missed?
Events in Custody:
What happened between intake and medical emergency?
Was he in general population?
Was he in a cell alone?
Were there witnesses?
Was he subjected to restraints?
Was any force used?
Video Surveillance:
Does Delaney Hall have cameras?
Was medical emergency recorded?
Will footage be released?
What does it show?

About the Autopsy¶

Why Inconclusive?
What findings did autopsy reveal?
What findings were absent?
What toxicology results showed?
Why can't cause of death be determined?
Independent Autopsy:
When will family's independent autopsy occur?
Who is performing it?
Will results be made public?
What are they looking for specifically?

About Accountability¶

Investigation:
Is DOJ investigating?
Is New Jersey State Police investigating?
Is there independent oversight?
Will findings be transparent?
Delaney Hall:
Will facility be inspected?
Will medical protocols be reviewed?
Will staff be interviewed?
Will Senator Booker's call for closure be heeded?

HAITIAN DEPORTATION CONTEXT¶

Biden Administration Parole Program¶

Jean Wilson Brutus's Status:
- Entered June 20, 2023 under humanitarian parole
- Part of Biden program for Haitians fleeing crisis
- Legal entry and status

Haiti Context (2023-2025):
- Political instability
- Gang violence
- Economic collapse
- Humanitarian crisis
- Mass migration

ICE Targeting of Paroled Haitians¶

Pattern:
- Haitians admitted under humanitarian parole
- Later arrested for minor offenses
- Transferred to ICE custody
- Subject to deportation proceedings

Brutus Case:
- Arrested for criminal mischief (property damage)
- Released from county jail
- Immediately seized by ICE
- Dead 24 hours later

GAPS IN INFORMATION¶

Critical Unknowns:
- Exact time of death
- Exact time of medical emergency
- Nature of medical emergency (cardiac? respiratory? neurological?)
- Who discovered him in distress
- Response time of facility medical staff
- Response time of EMS
- Length of time at hospital before death
- Video surveillance footage
- Full autopsy report details
- Toxicology results
- Whether family was notified before death
- Whether family was able to see him before death
- Details of what happened between intake and emergency
- Whether other detainees witnessed anything
- Independent autopsy timeline and results
- Investigation status

ASSESSMENT¶

Confidence: HIGH

✅ Confirmed:
- Jean Wilson Brutus, 41, Haitian national
- From Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti
- Entered U.S. June 20, 2023 (humanitarian parole)
- Lived with cousins in Irvington, NJ
- Arrested Dec 11, 2025 (criminal mischief)
- Released from Union County Jail, Elizabeth, NJ
- Transferred to ICE custody Dec 11
- Detained at Delaney Hall, Newark, NJ
- Intake screening: no signs of distress, no cardiovascular history
- Medical emergency within 24 hours
- Transported to University Hospital, Newark
- Died December 12, 2025
- Official cause: "suspected natural causes"
- Autopsy: INCONCLUSIVE
- Family hired independent autopsy firm
- Senator Booker demanded accountability and closure of Delaney Hall
- Fourth death in December 2025, first of four deaths in four days

🔴 Critical Issues:

24-Hour Death: Healthy 41-year-old dead within 24 hours of entering custody
Inconclusive Autopsy: Official autopsy cannot determine cause of death - highly suspicious
Family Seeking Answers: Independent autopsy requested; family doesn't trust official findings
No Transparency: No disclosure of what medical emergency occurred or what happened in custody
Delaney Hall History: Facility has long history of complaints; Senator Booker calls for closure
Four Deaths in Four Days: Part of unprecedented cluster (Dec 12-15)
Humanitarian Parole to Death: Legal entrant under Biden program dead 24 hours after ICE takes custody

Assessment: Jean Wilson Brutus's death is one of the most suspicious in December 2025's deadly month. A healthy 41-year-old with no cardiovascular history, cleared at intake with "no signs of distress," dies within 24 hours of entering ICE custody. The official autopsy is "inconclusive" - meaning medical examiners cannot determine what killed him. This is extraordinary. Natural deaths (heart attack, stroke, aneurysm) have clear autopsy findings. "Inconclusive" suggests either: (1) the cause is not natural and unclear, (2) trauma occurred but cannot be definitively linked to death, or (3) something is being concealed. The family's decision to seek independent autopsy indicates they do not trust the official findings. Senator Booker's statement - demanding "a clear accounting" and facility closure - reflects the gravity of this death. Without video footage, full autopsy transparency, and independent investigation, Jean Wilson Brutus's death will remain a symbol of ICE's deadly lack of accountability.

Recommendation: Immediate release of video surveillance footage, complete transparency in autopsy findings, independent federal investigation, disclosure of what happened in the 24 hours between intake and death, closure of Delaney Hall pending investigation, and accountability for all staff involved in his custody.

SOURCES¶

Research completed: February 5, 2026
Status: Part of December 2025 deaths documentation (7 total)
Pattern: Suspicious 24-hour death, inconclusive autopsy, family seeking independent review

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