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Chinese man with prior suicide attempt found dead in detention shower; family sues over isolation and neglect

Aug 7, 2025 · China

Chinese man with prior suicide attempt found dead in detention shower; family sues over isolation and neglect

Chaofeng Ge, a 32-year-old Chinese man from Queens, was found dead hanging in a shower stall on August 5 at the Moshannon Valley Processing Center in Pennsylvania. Ge had crossed the U.S. border illegally in November 2023 and worked as a New York City delivery driver. He was convicted of gift card fraud, completed a sentence in Dauphin County Prison in January 2025, and was transferred to ICE detention less than a week before his death. Medical records from his prior incarceration documented a suicide attempt by hanging in January 2025 and diagnoses of depression and bipolar disorder. ICE reported he arrived at the facility without medical records and was placed in general population. According to his brother's lawsuit, Ge was found with a cloth around his neck and his hands and legs bound behind his back. The lawsuit alleges Ge was isolated in custody because no staff members spoke Mandarin and the facility refused to communicate with him or provide mental healthcare. His brother, Yanfeng Ge, filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit and request against ICE demanding answers and transparency about the circumstances of his death and conditions at the facility. The coroner ruled his death a suicide, but the lawsuit challenges this finding.

Timeline

Aug 7, 2025Brother Yanfeng Ge filed Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against ICE demanding answers about circumstances of death and facility conditions
Aug 5, 2025Ge found dead hanging in shower stall with cloth around neck and hands and legs bound; coroner ruled death a suicide
Jul 2025Ge pleaded guilty to fraud charges; transferred to ICE custody at Moshannon Valley Processing Center without medical records
Jan 2025Ge attempted suicide by hanging while incarcerated; diagnosed with depression and bipolar disorder
Jan 2025Ge completed sentence in Dauphin County Prison and was transferred to ICE detention
Jan 2024Ge arrested for fraud involving gift cards and stolen credit cards
Nov 2023Chaofeng Ge crossed U.S. border illegally and worked as delivery driver in New York City

Sources

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