For the Cheatham family, the July 4th holiday was initially a time of joy and celebration. The family had gotten together for a cookout, where 18-year-old Saniyah Cheatham was said to be healthy and in good spirits. The evening took a tragic turn only hours later after the family received news that Cheatham had died while in NYPD custody.
Thomasina Cheatham told CBS News her daughter, Saniyah, was her normal self during a Fourth of July cookout at Crotona Park. “We [were] hanging out, having a good time. ‘Mommy, I love you,’ giving me a kiss. And now to wake up that she’s no longer here with us, it’s really sickening.”
At some point after the cookout, the NYPD arrested Saniyah Cheatham for allegedly being involved in a fight. She was taken to the 41st Police Precinct in the Longwood neighborhood of the Bronx shortly before midnight. Anonymous NYPD officials with knowledge of the case told the New York Times that at about 12:15 a.m. Saniyah hanged herself with the sweater she was wearing while in her cell. An NYPD official told the Times she had only been in the cell for two minutes when she hanged herself.
In a statement sent to CBS, the NYPD said they called for Emergency Medical Services at about 12:40 a.m. and attempted CPR while awaiting medical help. Saniyah Cheatham was transferred to Lincoln Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. It’s unclear if there were any other detainees in the cell, if anyone witnessed the incident, or if Saniyah called for help.
“How could that happen in a precinct? Was anybody watching her? Was she calling out for help?” Thomasina asked in an interview with CBS.
The NYPD has said that the Force Investigation Division is looking into the circumstances surrounding Saniyah Cheatham’s death. Thomasina is hopeful that security cameras in the jail and the medical examiner’s autopsy will give a clearer understanding of what led to her daughter’s death.
“The cameras should show exactly what happened…I’m praying that it does. I’m really praying. This is very heartbreaking to me and my family. That was my only princess. I have four boys and one girl. And we just … we just [are] really heartbroken right now,” Thomasina Cheatham told CBS.
Saniyah Cheatham’s death and alleged suicide have shocked many of her close friends and family. They say she enrolled at Bronx Community College and worked so she could save up money to live on her own. Growing up, Saniyah was active in the church, which initially caused her to struggle with her sexuality. When she came out as gay to her older brother, he accepted her with no hesitation.
Source: Black Teen Saniyah Cheatham Dies While In NYPD Custody
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