Student forgotten in DEA’s cell reportedly drank his urine, lucky to be alive

Report by JENIFERLAMUG

A U.S. student reportedly drank his own urine when Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) officers forgot to attend to him in his holding cell for five days. The attorney representing him said on Wednesday that “he is lucky to be alive” and plans to file a lawsuit against the agency.

As reported in Los Angeles Times, Daniel Chong, a UC San Diego student was with his eight friends when DEA team raided a house they were into for a suspected Ecstasy distribution operation last April 20. The 23-year old Chong admitted to DEA officers that he was there “to get high with his friends.” The raiding team found guns, ammunition and drugs.

The seven other suspects were later on put in a detention facility and one was released but the unlucky Chong was accidentally left out in one holding cell for five days without food and water. Chong was forced to drink his urine just to survive.

Attorney Eugene Iredale said his client was found unconscious and close to kidney failure. The 23-year old Chong is now recovering from the incident after a three-day stay in the intensive care unit at Sharp Hospital.

Chong, an engineering student reportedly suffered hallucinations and "thought he was going insane.” The DEA agent said he used metamphetamine, which he found under a blanket inside his cell.

William R. Sherman, acting special agent in charge at DEA’s San Diego Division expressed his apology to Chong saying, "I extend my deepest apologies and want to express that this event is not indicative of the high standards that I hold my employees to.”

For the meantime, Chong has not been charged and a thorough review of the incident is on-going.