Mother Disputes NYPD Claim That 18-Year-Old Saniyah Cheatham Died by Suicide in Custody: "She Didn't Have a Sweater"

The family of 18-year-old Saniyah Cheatham is demanding answers after police claimed she died by suicide while in NYPD custody. According to the NYPD, Cheatham was found unconscious in a precinct holding cell on Longwood Avenue around 12:40 a.m. on Saturday and was later pronounced dead at Lincoln Hospital. Officers said they performed CPR at the scene.

But Cheatham's family is casting serious doubt on the official account, particularly her mother, Thomasina Cheatham, who spent time with her daughter at a Fourth of July cookout just hours before the arrest. "She was happy and I was happy to see her," Thomasina recalled. She said there was no indication her daughter was in distress or suicidal.

The family said Cheatham was arrested following a physical altercation with her girlfriend after the cookout. While the NYPD has not confirmed the circumstances of the arrest, they did acknowledge the incident is under review by the Force Investigation Division, which handles cases involving deaths in custody.

Cheatham's mother strongly disputes the police's explanation that her daughter used a sweater to hang herself in the cell. "She did not have on a sweater that day," she insisted. "What happened to her? I don't believe she killed herself. Maybe she said something they didn't like, they roughed her up."

The family is now calling for transparency. They want the NYPD to release all surveillance footage from inside the precinct and are demanding that arresting officers turn over their body-worn camera footage. "Oh, she hung herself on the bars. I would like to see that," Thomasina said, expressing skepticism at the official version of events.

Saniyah's brother also urged authorities to release the autopsy findings. So far, the medical examiner has not determined an official cause of death, saying it is pending further study following an initial examination conducted on Sunday.

The family continues to push for clarity and accountability, insisting Saniyah's behavior and mood prior to her death do not align with the NYPD's narrative.

Link:  NBCNewYork

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