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Erica Garner, the 27-year-old daughter of Eric Garner, who died after wrongfully being placed in a chokehold by police in 2014, is reportedly in a medically-induced coma after suffering a heart attack. According to The New York Times, Erica’s mother, Esaw Snipes—who is also Eric’s widow—confirmed her daughter’s condition during a telephone interview.
News began circulating on December 24 after a tweet sent out from Erica’s Twitter account, which appears to have been written by someone who works for her, asked followers to keep Erica in their thoughts. “This is one of Ericas workers,” they tweeted. “Pray for her. She is in a coma.”
While Snipes declined to provide where Erica was being treated, details regarding her location were shared via Erica’s Twitter account on December 26. “She is in Woodhull hospital,” the message, shared at 9:05 a.m., read. The person tweeting went on to say NYPD removed them from Erica’s room and rushed them from the ICU without explanation.
“I dont trust #NYPD,” they continued. “They are saying that they mixed up the list of people who had permission with the people who don’t. Until they figure it out all visits are dead. Problem is, I have been up there all night WITH AN OFFICIAL PASS FROM THE HOSPITAL!”
CASSIUS reached out to the NYPD Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Public Information, who stated the incident “had nothing to do with NYPD.” CASSIUS also reached out to NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull, who stated that while patient confidentiality laws preclude their commenting on the presence of any patient, “hospital police—not NYPD—permit access to the ICU only to visitors as designated by the patients or their family members.”
Following her father’s death in Staten Island on July 17, 2014, Erica Garner campaigned for police accountability and justice for her dad, along with others who had been wrongfully killed during encounters with law enforcement.
Tweets sent from Erica’s Twitter account urged followers to call Woodhull Hospital in Brooklyn, NY and demand answers as to why permitted visitors are being turned away moments before Erica being brought out of her coma. The person tweeting from her account stated they were allowed back into Erica’s room at 11:10 a.m.
On Wednesday night, a new tweet sent from Erica’s Twitter account stated Erica suffered brain damage while in cardiac arrest. “Please continue to pray hard for Erica and pray for her family and kids just as much,” the tweet read.
“Right now, the family is just praying and asking for everyone to keep her in their prayers,” Snipes told NYT.
This story was updated on December 28, 2017 at 8:02 a.m. EST.
