The death of a 5-year-old migrant boy and reported illnesses in other children living at a Pilsen warehouse retrofitted as a shelter has raised fresh concerns about the living conditions and medical care provided for asylum-seekers arriving in Chicago.
Medical professionals have worried for months about the disjointed healthcare system, saying new arrivals in the U.S. face numerous health issues. For many, the problems are either related to their journey, including trauma, or from living in crowded group settings where infections spread easily and quickly.
Five-year-old Jean Carlos Martinez was a resident at a shelter in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood when he suffered a medical emergency, then was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at Comer Children’s Hospital on Sunday afternoon, the city said.
Six more people living in the shelter — four children and two adults — were hospitalized for illnesses this week, according to the Chicago Fire Department.
All had been living in the same shelter as Martinez, whose family arrived in Chicago on Nov. 30, the city said. The cause of death was still “pending” on Tuesday, according to Cook County medical examiner records.
In a statement sent Tuesday afternoon, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office confirmed that the cause of the child’s death remains under investigation – but that the child “does not appear to have died from an infectious disease, according to the Chicago Department of Public Health, and there is no evidence of an outbreak at the shelter. The CDPH team will continue to evaluate the situation.”
City officials also said that the other illnesses do not appear to have originated in the same shelter and “are consistent with ongoing seasonal respiratory trends.”
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NBC 5 Investigates reached out to both the Chicago Department of Public Health and the Cook County Health Department with questions about the conditions inside and reports of additional illnesses on Tuesday. So far, neither organization has responded to our questions.
What volunteers, migrants say shelter conditions look like
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“These are hard environments for people to rest and feel good and be able to take care of themselves,” said Dr. Evelyn Figueroa, a physician and medical volunteer who recently toured the shelter where the boy was living.
One woman standing outside the shelter, were an estimated 2,300 people are living, told NBC Chicago her three children have not seen a doctor and that the food inside the shelter is so bad, they buy food from vendors across the street.
Another man, who asked not to appear on camera out of fear he could get kicked out of the shelter, said his family is sleeping in the same large room where the 5-year-old boy was found unresponsive.
Residents have complained of faulty heat, water leaks, expired food and crowded conditions that are closed to the public, including reporters and some volunteers who were critical in providing medical care at police stations.
Questions about the environment for migrants come as Chicago is winding down its much-maligned practice of using police stations and airports for temporarily housing migrants arriving in the city. However, its use of shelters — which range from park district field houses to commercial spaces — have prompted equal criticism.
More than 26,000 migrants have arrived in Chicago over the past year by bus and plane with about 14,000 currently in shelters. Roughly 10,000 have been resettled into their own places, which is the city’s ultimate goal. Chicago recently instituted a 60-day limit for shelters, with the first batch of evictions taking effect next month.
In another setback earlier this month, Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration announced that it is scrapping plans for a temporary winter camp for migrants in the city’s Brighton Park neighborhood on the southwest side, citing the risk of contaminants at the former industrial site.
Some medical professionals worry that more migrants will end up back at police stations or on the street.
“We are going to be needed again very shortly,” said Sara Izquierdo, a medical student at the University of Illinois Chicago, who organized teams of medics to provide free care at police stations.
Veronica Saldana, a volunteer, who toured the Pilsen shelter on Monday, told NBC 5 Investigates that the building was cold, people were sick and that they did not have adequate space to isolate and that crews appeared to be cleaning.
“I’m really concerned about all those sick kids. We were told only about 30 people were seen yesterday and there are well over 2,000 people in that shelter,” Saldana said, referring to health assessment teams who were on site on Monday.
Saldana told us she spoke to the parents of Jean Carlos Martinez Rivero on Monday who were having a hard time with the loss of their 5-year-old son.
“They’re very upset but they say they are being treated well. And just not really saying much,” she said.
NBC 5 Investigates was told the family was moved to another shelter where they were being provided care and housing.
A vigil for the child and family is scheduled for Wednesday evening.
How does Chicago provide health care for migrants who arrive to the city?
City officials say each person is evaluated for medical issues when placed at city shelters and the city has partnered with two organizations to provide weekly medical care at shelters.
The city also pointed to its partnership with Cook County, which set up a clinic exclusively for migrants last year on the city’s northwest side. As many as 100 patients are seen per day for vaccines, routine health concerns like rashes, and referrals for dental care or mental health issues. The clinic has seen more than 18,000 patients overall.
"When new arrivals reach our city from the Southern border, the City of Chicago puts forth every effort to keep them healthy," the City of Chicago said in a statement Tuesday. "Decompressing police stations was crucial to new arrivals’ wellness as we have implemented thorough health screenings at shelters. Health screenings are provided to all new arrivals to identify individuals with acute medical conditions or emergencies that should be directed to an emergency room."
The statement went on to say that all temporary migrant shelters were in good condition and were "selected due to the large capacity they can safely serve."
Who are the shelters staffed by?
The shelters are run by a private-staffing company, Favorite Healthcare Staffing, which city officials have said provides some basic medical care and calls ambulances. At the Pilsen shelter, one Chicago organization has helped with medical care a few hours a week.
The city has spent about $94 million for Favorite Healthcare’s services — nearly 70% of its total spending, despite critics’ claims that Favorite’s costs are exorbitant and shelter conditions and resident treatment are poor. The company, which staffs the shelter where Martinez had lived, said they are working with the city and other authorities to investigate the incident.
A statement from Favorite Healthcare Staffing sent to NBC 5 Investigates Monday evening, read:
“We are heartbroken to learn of the death of a child at a Pilsen shelter on Sunday, and we send our deepest condolences to his loved ones and community. We take the safety and wellbeing of all shelter residents seriously. Our team is working closely with the City of Chicago."
