‘Have you ever smelled a cadaver?’ Family recounts horror after Costa Rican man deported in vegetative state
The Guardian••nation
Key Points:
- Randall Gamboa Esquivel, a Costa Rican man, was detained by US immigration authorities after re-entering the US unlawfully in December 2024 and spent nearly 10 months in detention before being deported in a vegetative state in September 2025; he died weeks later in Costa Rica.
- Gamboa's family reported a sudden health decline while in ICE custody, with limited communication after June 12, 2025, and described his condition upon return as severely deteriorated, with signs of malnourishment and neglect.
- US authorities stated Gamboa was diagnosed with unspecified psychosis and received medical care, but did not clarify details about his consent to treatment or communication with Costa Rican officials and family.
