Second asylum seeker dies by suicide in NYC homeless shelter as more migrants head for city
A second migrant committed suicide in a New York City homeless shelter, sources said Monday.
The 26-year-old man was found in a bathroom by his partner in a Queens shelter on Wednesday, according to a report by NBC News. He was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Mayor Adams’ office referred a Daily News inquiry to the city Department of Social Services, which described the death of the Venezuelan migrant “absolutely heartbreaking.”
“We recognize the very unique challenges asylum seekers are facing and we remain committed to continuing to build on our ongoing efforts and interagency coordination to connect these families and individuals to mental health supports as we help them stabilize their lives in a new country,” DSS spokeswoman Neha Sharma said in a statement.
In September, an asylum seeker used a cord to hang herself in the bathroom at a shelter in Hollis, Queens.
Leidy Paola Martinez Villalobos, 32, struggled with depression in the city after being separated from her husband at the border, relatives told The News at the time.
On Monday, buses packed with migrants from the Southern border arrived at Port Authority Bus Terminal, an influx that prompted Mayor Adams to brace New Yorkers for possible cuts to services due to the expense of accommodating migrants.
A day earlier, Adams said officials at the state and federal level have “mostly ignored” pleas for money and support, noting the shelter systems are full and at a breaking point as more and more migrants come to the city.
