Dayán Hernández González, the older brother of Demi Adán González—a Cuban national who died on April 29 in solitary confinement at the Stewart Detention Center in Georgia—shared with CiberCuba the harrowing way he received the news of his brother's death from Spain. He received a phone call from an unknown number.
Dayán, who is currently living in Spain, mentioned that while the media reported his brother's death as occurring on April 28, he was actually informed on Wednesday, April 29, around 7 p.m. Spanish time.
"A call came from an unknown number, and I answered with 'Hello.' The voice asked if it was Dayán, to which I replied 'Yes.' The caller then said, 'I have bad news for you.' I asked, 'What bad news? Who are you?' The reply was, 'Your brother Demi: we found him dead in his cell; he has passed away,'" Dayán recounted to journalist Tania Costa.
When Dayán pressed for the caller's identity, the man introduced himself: "Sorry for not saying earlier, I am Officer Valdés from the Stewart Detention Center in Georgia. We found your brother deceased."
Desperate for details, Dayán inquired further, but the officer only confirmed Demi's identity—born on January 1, 1993—and stated they were not authorized to provide more information.
"We don't have any details, we're just required to inform you. We can't provide explanations. Please give us your email, and we will contact you once we have the death certificate," the officer told Dayán.
The death certificate Dayán later received confirmed April 29 as the date of death. "It states April 29, not the 28th as some have reported," he noted.
After the official call, Dayán sought more information by contacting a friend of his brother inside the prison. This friend disclosed that days before his death, Demi had a confrontation with a guard: "My brother had an issue with a prison officer the previous Sunday, where he slapped the guard, causing a fall and head injury." The guard required hospitalization, and Demi was promptly placed in solitary confinement, a measure considered torturous by human rights advocates.
A Tragic Turn of Events
The same prison contact informed Dayán that Demi had allegedly ingested a chemical substance and was found deceased. "He drank it and was found with blood-filled eyes and mouth, but those inside find it hard to believe given his good relations with them," Dayán recounted.
The official ICE report categorizes the death as an apparent suicide, currently under investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. However, Lourdes González Suárez, Demi's mother who remains in Cuba, demands an independent inquiry, asserting, "The guards killed him."
Dayán also revealed that a Mexican friend of his brother, now deported, offered to testify about Demi's character and the circumstances surrounding his death. "I could speak highly of him, but as family, people might dismiss it. They should ask others," he explained.
This incident adds to the case of another cellmate who claims irregularities surrounding the Cuban's death. Meanwhile, the family is struggling with the challenge of repatriating his remains to Cuba.
The tragic death of Demi Adán González marks the eighteenth immigrant death in ICE custody in 2026, the highest number in 22 years, and the third Cuban death that year, according to Physicians for Human Rights.
Key Questions About Demi Adán González's Death
What was the official cause of Demi Adán González's death?
The official report from ICE labels the death as a suspected suicide, currently under investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
How did Demi Adán González's family learn about his death?
Dayán Hernández González, Demi's brother, was informed through a phone call from an officer at the Stewart Detention Center while he was in Spain.
What actions are being taken by Demi's family?
Demi's mother, Lourdes González Suárez, is calling for an independent investigation into her son's death, suspecting foul play by the guards.
What did Demi's friend inside the prison report?
A friend inside the prison claimed that Demi ingested a chemical substance and was found dead, but those who knew him find this hard to believe.