Settlement could pay family of Army vet who died by suicide in CPD custody $1.75M

CHICAGO — The City of Chicago has potentially reached an almost $2 million settlement with the family of a woman who died while in police custody in 2021.

If the City Council’s Finance Committee votes to approve the payment on Monday, the family of Irene Chavez could receive $1.75 from Chicago.

Chavez, 33, died by suicide in a holding cell in the early morning hours of Dec. 18, 2021, shortly after being locked up. She was arrested after getting into a fight with a security guard at a bar in the city’s South Shore neighborhood the night prior.

Following her death, Chavez’s family demanded answers , arguing the Army veteran begged for help, but Chicago police officers ignored her. A lawsuit claimed police denied her basic medical care and failed to recognize she had been experiencing a mental health crisis.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Family of jailed woman who died of suicide suing city of Chicago, police

Chavez reportedly told officers she was a military veteran experiencing PTSD.

WGN Investigates reported in February of 2022 that attorneys argued that someone with PTSD should’ve never been placed in a cell that wasn’t suicide-proof, adding that the video also showed an obscured observation area that may have kept officers from noticing that Chavez was attempting suicide just an hour after getting there.

If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. The number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 988 .

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