30 January 2014- Human rights organizations concerned about refugees are shocked to learn of the death of, Lucia Vega Jiménez, a Mexican woman held in custody by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) at the Vancouver International Airport last month. Information about this tragic death has only recently been made public after a news agency first broke the story this week. There has been no public explanation from the CBSA for what happened, whether anything could have been done to prevent the death and what steps are being taken now to determine whether there was any failing on the part of CBSA officials who were responsible for her care while she was in custody. This tragic case underlines the fact that there is absolutely no independent oversight of CBSA to whom the family can seek recourse.

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By Kim Pemberton, Vancouver Sun January 30, 2014

A Mexican woman desperate to remain in Canada hanged herself in the Canada Border Services Agency holding cells of Vancouver International Airport rather than face deportation. Lucia Vega Jimenez, 42, used a shower curtain to strangle herself on Dec. 20, a day after being placed in the stark holding facility. She died eight days later at Mount St. Joseph’s Hospital in Vancouver. She left no suicide note. Vega Jimenez had previously made a refugee claim in Canada that was rejected in 2010. It is not known whether she was deported, but she was back in Canada shortly before Christmas when she was picked up by Transit police.

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By Jeremy Nuttall, 24 hours Vancouver Wednesday, January 29, 2014 6:11:59 PST PM

Pressure to conduct a full review and independent investigation into the apparent suicide of Lucia Jimenez in Canada Border Services Agency grew Wednesday as the BC Coroner confirmed the Mexican national was found hanging in a holding cell at YVR. (FOTOLIA) A vigil for a Mexican national who died after a hanging incident while in Canada Border Services Agency custody has been set for Friday and a petition has been started demanding an independent review into the death and migrant detention policies.

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VANCOUVER — The Canadian Press. Published Wednesday, Jan. 29 2014, 9:12 PM EST

Many questions remain surrounding the death of a Mexican woman who had been held by Canada Border Services Agency at Vancouver’s airport, and the agency is revealing few answers. Lucia Vega Jimenez was taken into custody at Vancouver International Airport last month. BC Coroners Service confirmed Wednesday that the 42-year-old was rushed to the hospital Dec. 20 after she was found hanging in a shower stall at the airport’s immigration holding centre.

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CBC News Posted: Jan 29, 2014 1:17 PM PT Last Updated: Jan 29, 2014 8:22 PM PT

The B.C. Coroners Service has confirmed that 42-year-old Lucia Vega Jimenez was found hanging from a shower stall in the immigration holding centre at the Vancouver airport, on Dec. 20, 2013. She died one week later in a Vancouver hospital without regaining consciousness and was removed from life-support with her family present, says the coroners service in a written release. News of Vega Jimenez’s death coming to light more than a month after it happened has angered many in international and local communities.

The B.C. Civil Liberties Association says it wonders what took so long and whether there have been other in-custody deaths with the Canada Border Services Agency that have not been reported. Vancouver-based advocacy group No One Is Illegal has launched a petition calling for a full independent civilian inquiry into Vega Jimenez’s death.

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