Polanco's death in solitary confinement at Rikers Island intensified calls to end cash bail, pretrial detention, and solitary confinement in New York City.
Key Facts
- Age at death
- 27 years
- Date of death
- June 7, 2019
- Location
- Rikers Island jail complex, New York City
- Cause of death
- Epileptic seizure; medical care delayed 47 minutes
- Confinement type
- Solitary confinement
- Investigation outcome
- Staff found not responsible by DOI and Bronx DA
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Layleen Polanco, a 27-year-old Afro-Latina transgender woman with a documented history of epilepsy, was held in solitary confinement at Rikers Island. Officers were aware of her condition, as she had already suffered multiple seizures during her detention. On June 7, 2019, she experienced an epileptic seizure in her cell.
For 47 minutes following her seizure, staff failed to provide Polanco with adequate medical care. A video showed officers knocking on her cell door, finding her unresponsive, and laughing in her presence. She died in her cell. A six-month DOI investigation and the Bronx District Attorney subsequently concluded that staff were not criminally responsible.
Polanco's death prompted widespread public outrage and a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the Polanco family. Her sister Melania Brown and activists called for a ban on solitary confinement in New York City. The case renewed debate over cash bail reform and pretrial detention practices, contributing to ongoing legislative and policy discussions in New York.