After four years of being separated from her father, a 13-year-old girl from Honduras decided to take her own life as ICE rejected her dad’s asylum for the fourth time.
Heydi Gamez Garcia has been finally reunited with her father, but it is already too late. She will be disconnected from life support by her father Manuel Gamez who arrived on a plane after officials granted him two-week parole so he could say goodbye to his daughter.
The heartbroken father told Daily Mail over the phone: “I am very sad, really depressed. The hardest moments are coming.”
The teen had been fighting against depression amidst anti-immigration policies that kept her away from her father who had been arrested after trying to go back to the United States.
With a phone-charging cable tied around her neck, Heydi was found hanging from her bedroom closet by her aunt who wanted to cheer her up with some snacks.
She was rushed to the hospital but was declared brain-dead after a week.
Family lawyer Anibal Romero blamed the administration’s asylum stance as one of the reasons why the 13-year-old girl ended her life.
“Words matter, tweets matter,” Romero said. “When the president threatens to deport millions of people, it really causes anxiety, causes fear, especially in children who are afraid of losing their parents. Politicians should be very careful with the words that are used. It doesn’t matter that it’s on social networks. … Today it’s Heydi, tomorrow it will be someone else.”
“It has been difficult to be away from her,” Manuel expressed. “As a father you always want to be with your children. I was hoping to be with her again.”
Manuel shared a photo of his daughter on Facebook, writing: “It will be difficult to accept your departure, my princess, with the hope that in heaven you will be a little angel of God and that you will give me strength when I can’t continue without you, my love.”
What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments section and SHARE this post with your family and friends!