Erica Garner, the 27-year-old daughter of the man who died after being choked by New York police, is brain-dead after suffering a massive heart attack, according to the New York Daily News.
Garner suffered an asthma attack, which reportedly led to the heart attack, and has been in a coma since Saturday. Garner became a Black Lives Matter activist when her father, Eric Garner, died soon after an officer put him in a chokehold in 2014.
According to the newspaper, doctors have said Erica Garner has no chance of recovery. Her mother, Esaw Snipes, said Thursday that Garner is on life support.
“She’s not gone, she’s brain-dead,” Snipes said. “Physically she is still with us.”
Garner’s official Twitter account seems to have a slightly more optimistic point of view and says the Daily News report is not factual.
Update: Cat scan shows Erica suffered major brain damage from a lack of oxygen while in cardiac arrest. Please continue to pray hard for Erica and pray for her family and kids just as much.
— officialERICA GARNER (@es_snipes) December 28, 2017
I know that the @NYDailyNews didn't get their information from anyone that heard it straight from a doctors mouth because only one person was in the room when the results were read. That person was me. I called each family member. So they are reporting 3 person hearsay.
— officialERICA GARNER (@es_snipes) December 28, 2017
The account also retweeted the following.
https://twitter.com/ShaunKing/status/946449752681533440
A reminder not to declare someone dead before a doctor has. So many news outlets have just reported Erica Garner is "brain dead" off of Daily News, but according to her verified Twitter (run by someone close to her), she is still fighting for her life. https://t.co/uZA2DVqHCp
— julia reinstein 🚡 (@juliareinstein) December 28, 2017
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who Garner endorsed during the 2016 presidential race, tweeted his support to Garner and her family.
My thoughts are with Erica Garner, her family and friends in hoping that she has a full recovery and rejoins the struggle for justice as soon as possible. I have had the privilege of joining with her at a number of events and was deeply impressed with her courage and insights.
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) December 26, 2017
Rev. Al Sharpton reportedly visited the family in the hospital.
“We’re here with the family every day,” Sharpton said via the Daily News. “[Erica] was a warrior. She was a real activist, she was always involved. From three years ago, she never stopped. She was always at rallies, she was always calling me—’Reverend, we’ll do this. Reverend, we’ll do that. We’ll do it your way, then I’m gonna do it different than you.’ It’s just sad to see her laying there and not the active Erica that we know.”
Garner first suffered a heart attack in August after giving birth to a boy. Her mother said that doctors told them the pregnancy had impacted her enlarged heart.