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Medical examiner: Immigrant died from cocaine, hydroxyzine
Edimar Alves Araujo, shown above in a family photo with his niece, died Aug. 7.
By Maria Sacchetti, Globe Staff
Edimar Alves Araujo, the 34-year-old Brazilian immigrant who died Aug. 7 while in federal custody in Rhode Island, died of "acute intoxication" from the combined effects of cocaine and hydroxyzine, a medication used to treat anxiety and vomiting, the Rhode Island medical examiner's office reported today. Araujo, whose body was sent to Brazil for burial, also had a chronic seizure disorder that contributed to his death.
Araujo's official cause of death had been in dispute for weeks. His family had criticized police after he died, saying they rebuffed his sister's pleas to give him his epilepsy medicine. Police had denied the claim and said Araujo, an illegal immigrant, was fine when they turned him over to federal immigration authorities.
Araujo later fell ill and was pronounced dead at a hospital in Providence. Araujo's family declined to comment today because other investigations are ongoing, said lawyer Randy Olen.
