The death of 26-year-old Tyreick Rodriguez, a mentally ill man who died by suicide just four days after entering Belize Central Prison, has sparked widespread concern and renewed scrutiny of how the justice system handles individuals with mental health conditions.
Rodriguez was sentenced to a week in prison for two minor offences: riding a bicycle without a headlamp and possession of controlled drugs. He was admitted to the facility on April 19 and placed in a cell designated for psychiatric patients.
Virgilio Murillo, Chief Executive Officer of the Belize Central Prison, confirmed the circumstances surrounding Rodriguez’s short time at the prison. “He was admitted into prison on the 19th….he had a conviction of one week for riding [a] bicycle without a headlamp. And then he was also remanded on a charge of possession of a controlled drug, which would indicate that he was caught with crack cocaine,” Murillo explained.
Murillo noted that Rodriguez was not charged for marijuana possession, saying, “Today, the police do not arrest you for small quantities of marijuana… quantities below 10 grams… it was decriminalised some years ago.”
Rodriguez was placed in what the prison refers to as a psychiatric cell. “That is the only condition that we can really subject a mentally challenged person to,” said Murillo. “He was being observed… this is the first time he has been in prison. Maybe he has been arrested before; I’m not too sure about that. However, this is the first time he came to the facility.”
The case has prompted an outcry from many who are questioning why Rodriguez, given his known mental illness, was sent to prison rather than a mental health facility.