BRONX, NY – An 18-year-old woman died in police custody, leaving her mother desperate for answers. Sonia Cheatham, a Bronx Community College student, was found unresponsive at the NYPD’s 41st Precinct after being arrested following a dispute with her girlfriend.
Sonia’s mother, Thomasina, recalls her daughter enjoying a family cookout in Crotona Park just hours before the tragic incident. “She was full of life, laughing and telling me she loved me,” Thomasina shared, her voice filled with emotion.
The NYPD reported that officers discovered Sonia unconscious early Saturday morning and immediately called for emergency medical services. Despite officers performing CPR, Sonia was pronounced dead at Lincoln Hospital.
The NYPD’s Force Investigation Division is currently examining the circumstances surrounding Sonia’s death. However, Thomasina is left with many unanswered questions, particularly about how her daughter, who was in good health, could have died in a precinct cell.
“I just want to know how this could happen,” Thomasina said. “Was anyone watching her?”
Sonia was passionate about music and dance, a vibrant young woman with a bright future ahead. Her mother now hopes that police surveillance footage and body camera recordings will shed light on the events leading up to her daughter’s death.
“The cameras should reveal the truth,” Thomasina asserted, emphasizing the need for transparency.
The medical examiner’s report, still pending, is expected to provide further insights into the cause of Sonia’s death. As Thomasina grieves, she holds onto the memory of her “only princess” among her four sons, seeking justice and clarity for her daughter’s untimely passing.