Photo: Getty Images
Irvo Otieno, who prosecutors say was smothered to death at a Virginia mental hospital, was a 28-year-old aspiring rapper described as "brilliant" and "creative."
Otieno, who made music under the artist name Young Vo, could write a song in less than five minutes, according to his mother, Caroline Ouko, per CNN. He had dreams of starting his own record label, Ouko said.
“He had found his thing. You know that feeling when you find your thing?” she said. “He was happy with what he was doing… He would go in his room and shut the door. And he had it. He was brilliant and creative and bright.”
Amid a mental health crisis, the aspiring rapper died on March 6 after he was smothered at Central State Hospital by seven Henrico County sheriff's deputies and three hospital security guards, who have been charged with second-degree murder, according to prosecutors.
In a GoFundMe page created by Otieno's family, Leon Ochieng, his older brother, wrote: “Being mentally ill shouldn’t be a death sentence.”
According to police, Otieno was initially arrested on suspicion of burglary and assaulting a law enforcement officer. Officers took Otieno to a local jail managed by the Henrico County Sheriff’s Office and placed him under an “emergency custody order,” which is used in Virginia for cases of mental illness.
Days later, Henrico County sheriff’s office employees were transferring him to Central State Hospital when state police were called to investigate his death.
Footage of the incident hasn't been released to the public but was viewed by prosecutors and his family.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Ann Cabell Baskervill said Otieno was "held on the ground in handcuffs and leg irons for 12 minutes by seven deputies," per CNN. Security guards "passively watched the alleged smothering but eventually joined in and piled on top of the victim along with the deputies," Baskervill added.
After watching the video, Otieno's family said the 28-year-old was tortured.
“My son was treated like a dog, worse than a dog,” Ouko said.
The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.