The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police has completed its investigation into the death of a Haitian immigrant who died in the city after she was released by Immigration and Customs Enforcement into freezing weather earlier this year.
In late February, Daphy Michel, 31, was briefly detained, then released with an ankle monitor. On March 1, she was discovered on the ground at a bus shelter near Station Square and died after being taken to a hospital.
In June, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office ruled her death a homicide, listing the cause of death as hypothermia.
Here's what we know.
Pittsburgh police investigate death of Haitian immigrant released from ICE custody
In a statement to USA TODAY, a spokesperson for Pittsburgh Bureau of Police confirmed that police had completed their investigation into Michel's death.
"Homicide
detectives have explored all of the available evidence in this case and have concluded their investigation," the spokesperson said. "This case has now been sent to the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office for review."
Haitian immigrant dies in Pittsburgh after release from ICE custody, death ruled a homicide
The Department of Homeland Security said ICE released Michel in Pittsburgh on Feb. 27, miles from her home in Charleroi, CBS News Pittsburgh reported. She died several days after she was discovered at a bus shelter near Station Square and taken to a hospital, with the Allegheny County Medical Examiner ruling her death a homicide.
In a June 12 statement released by the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office through the Allegheny County Police Department, the medical examiner said, "The opinion of the forensic pathologist in this case is that Ms. Michel was a vulnerable adult, suffering from untreated severe mental health issues and a significant language barrier when she was released from federal custody on February 27."
On Feb. 27, the temperature fell from 55 degrees to 25 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. On March 1, the observed high was 38 degrees, while the low was 20 degrees.
The Department of Homeland Security said in a lengthy statement posted to X that ICE had "NOTHING" to do with Michel's death.
"She was released with all of her belongings, including a fully charged phone, in sunny weather in the middle of Pittsburgh, where public transport is readily available," the DHS statement said in part.
Joseph Murphy, who represents local members of Michel's family, said her phone plan had expired while she was in jail, The Guardian reported.
The family is planning to sue the United States and other governmental and nongovernmental entities in connection to Daphy's death.
Murphy said Michel was born in Haiti and legally came to the United States. She "effectively" overstayed her authorization period in the country as she awaited a decision in her asylum case, he said, according to CBS News Pittsburgh, and was arrested in September 2025 after she appeared to be having a mental health crisis.
After six months spent in Washington County Jail, her case was dismissed in February. Michel was scheduled to have an immigration hearing several weeks later but as detained by ICE and taken to its office in south Pittsburgh. The agency placed an ankle monitor on her.
Finch Walker is the Pittsburgh Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Contact Walker at FWalker@usatodayco.com. Instagram: @finchwalker_. X: @_finchwalker.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pitt. police wrap investigation into immigrant who died after ICE release
