Asylum seeker takes his life at Yarl’s Wood

A man is believed to have committed suicide at Yarl’s Wood
immigration removal centre where his son was also being detained,
writes Amy Taylor.
 
It is thought that Manuel Bravo and his 13-year-old son Antonio
were taken to Yarl’s Wood, Bedfordshire, on Wednesday and
were due to be removed to their home country of Angola on
Thursday.

Bravo is reported to have taken his own life on Thursday morning
by hanging himself in a stairwell.

A Home Office spokesperson confirmed that a man had died at the
centre on Thursday.

The family lived in Leeds prior to their detention. Reverend
Alistair Kaye, of Christ Church, Armley, in Leeds, said that he had
spoken to Bravo from inside Yarl’s Wood and that he was
terrified of being sent back home.

Antonio has been removed from Yarl’s Wood and is now being
looked after by Bedfordshire social services.