Student abandoned in DEA holding cell drank own urine to survive

DerMißingno

DerMißingno

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Daniel Chong, a 24-year old student at UC San Diego, was taken into custody during a drug raid and abandoned in a holding cell for five days without food or water, according to NBC San Diego.

“They never came back, ignored all my cries and I still don’t know what happened,” he said. “I’m not sure how they could forget me.”

On April 21, Drug Enforcement Agents raided an apartment where Chong and his friends were smoking marijuana. Nine people were arrested and the agents reportedly seized ecstasy pills, marijuana, prescription medication, psychedelic mushrooms and weapons, according to CBS 8 News. Seven of those arrested were taken to jail and one was released.

Chong, however, was left handcuffed in a 5 ft. by 10 ft. holding cell.

Chong said he screamed and kicked the door, but to no avail. Eventually, he began hallucinating and drank his own urine in hopes of staying hydrated. After days without any human contact, he tried to kill himself by breaking his glasses with his teeth, and using the glass to cut himself.

Surprisingly, Chong allegedly found a bag of methamphetamine in the holding cell, which he used to stay awake.

After five days, a DEA worker heard noises coming from the holding cell and discovered him. Chong was taken to the hospital, where he spent three days in the intensive care unit.

The DEA has not apologized to Chong. He has not been charged with any crime.
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Besides the obvious criticism of the drug war and how it is enforced, I have two comments about this.

1) Bear Grylls may have saved his life
2) What the hell were methamphetamines doing in a DEA holding cell?
 
This is California, the US's 2nd most polarized state, after Texas. What do you think happens with cop-to-criminal relations?

This sort of abuse occurs daily, and the rich hush it up, so that's why it's being called a "shocker".

Sad and "shocking", but nothing new.

The DEA won't apologize, because they think drug abusers are deserving of such punishment and abuse(Even if they were already abused at some point in their lives...).

The real villain is the person or organization who got those people hooked on all that crap. Or the parents. We'll never know.
 
Student left in cell for 4 days files $20M claim against DEA

Daniel Chong, a San Diego student who was left in a Drug Enforcement Administration holding cell for nearly five days after he was allegedly forgotten about, has filed a claim for $20 million after what he described as his "life-altering" experience, NBC San Diego reported.

The 23-year-old told NBC San Diego that he was increasingly worried throughout the days he spent in a 5-foot-by-10-foot cell, and told how he drank his own urine to survive.

“They never came back, ignored all my cries and I still don’t know what happened,” he said. “I’m not sure how they could forget me.”

As NBC San Diego was first to report Saturday, the DEA confirmed its agents were investigating an incident in which a suspect, arrested Saturday, April 21, was detained at their office for several days and allegedly forgotten about.

Chong's lawyers filed the claim Wednesday, and also asked the DEA provide evidence pertaining to the incident. Chong said he was at a friend’s house in University City celebrating 4/20, a day many marijuana users set aside to smoke, when agents came inside and raided the residence. Chong was then taken to the DEA office in Kearny Mesa. He said agents questioned him, and then told him he could go home. One agent even offered him a ride, Chong said. No criminal charges were filed against him.

But Chong did not go home that night. Instead, he was placed in a cell for five days without any human contact and was not given food or drink. In his desperation, he said he was forced to drink his own urine.

“I had to do what I had to do to survive ... I hallucinated by the third day,” Chong said. “I was completely insane.”

Chong said he lost roughly 15 pounds during the time he was alone. His lawyer confirmed that Chong ingested a powdery substance found inside the cell. Later testing revealed the substance was methamphetamine.

The Drug Enforcement Administration has issued an apology to Chong.

DEA San Diego Acting Special Agent-In-Charge William R. Sherman said in a statement Wednesday that he was troubled by the treatment of Chong and extended his "deepest apologies" to him.

Sherman said the event was not indicative of the standards to which he holds his employees. He said he had personally ordered an extensive review of his office's policies and procedures.

The DEA said it was investigating why Chong was not released. U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer and Congressman Darrell Issa each asked for further investigation Wednesday.
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He goes from potentially charged, to potentially millionaire >.>

"Sad and "shocking", but nothing new." <--Unfortunately true. At least keep that kind of treatment for those too far gone ~__~
 
Dear lord, that's beyond terrible, especially when it occurs in supposedly civilised nations. I really hope he winds that lawsuit. Having to issue an apology means nothing to the DEA in the long run, but losing 20 mil will probably make them think twice about how they treat their detainees in future, and will provide some justice for the poor man.
 
It wouldn't had been so "life-altering" had he simply not knowingly abused meth all the while... Some poor californian kid do weed in an appartment full of drugs and weapons, cops handle him badly, why not make 20 mil out of nowhere and give it to him. Typical life in the U.S..
 
Bulletproof Scales said:
It wouldn't had been so "life-altering" had he simply not knowingly abused meth all the while... Some poor californian kid do weed in an appartment full of drugs and weapons, cops handle him badly, why not make 20 mil out of nowhere and give it to him. Typical life in the U.S..
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To be fair, he wasn't in his right mind after the first couple of days due to dehydration so we can't exactly blame him for his drug use, I don't think.
 
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