Layleen Polanco (27)
1992 - June 7, 2019
Layleen Xtravaganza Cubilette-Polanco was 27 year old Afro-Latina transgender woman from Yonkers, New York. She was part of New York City's ballroom scene as a member of the House of Xtravaganza and was a friend of Pose (2018) star Indya Moore. Layleen died at Rikers Island on June 7, 2019 in solitary confinement after staff failed to provide her with medical care that could have saved her life for 47 minutes following an epileptic seizure. Records indicate that officers had extensive knowledge of Layleen’s epilepsy, having already suffered multiple seizures at Rikers. Video footage of Layleen’s death released in June provoked public outrage. The footage, featuring officers laughing in the presence of her unresponsive body, was disturbing and deeply troubling to the family. Family attorney David Shanies described it as "the last bit of indifference that we saw toward a person who obviously needed help.”