Justice For Steven!
Who lost his life too soon in the custody of the Stamford Police Officers in Stamford Connecticut

Steven was a loving, kind, funny, respectful, hardworking son, brother, and  nephew. He had a very close relationship with his family, especially with his  grandparents, whom he had a lot of love and respect for. He graduated from  Westhill High School in 2015 despite many challenges in his life including color discrimination and financial, career, and mental health challenges. Steven later enrolled in Norwalk Community College to pursue his dream career to work in Computer Engineering. While he was in school, he proudly worked at Boston  Market in Stamford Connecticut. 

Steven got along well with everyone including his classmates, coworkers,  customers, and family. His teachers and managers can contest to this. Steven  loved being active. His hobbies included biking, skateboarding, and exercising. He loved to travel and enjoyed vacationing with his family. He also enjoyed  being outside, hanging out with his best friend Johnny and brother, as well as staying at home producing music. 

On October 23, 2019, which was to be Steven’s 23rd birthday, our family life fell  apart when I received a call from Stamford Hospital notifying me that Steven lay dead in the Emergency Room. A family disagreement had occurred that night. Siblings got involved and eventually, the Stamford Police were called. Upon the  arrival of the police, Steven left the house to talk it over with his best friend, Johnny. The Stamford Police sent 6 or more officers to apprehend him. Videos posted on this website and also online taken by Police Body Cameras for the public to see, clearly show the belligerent verbal and physical abuse that was inflicted upon my son Steven from his apprehension to ignoring his plea that he was having difficulty breathing while in the back of the police car en route to the police station. It might also be noted that the Police Officer almost certainly drove by Stamford Hospital, to his arrival at the Station House where Steven sat slumped over, neglected, unresponsive, and clearly unconscious in a jail cell. He died in that jail cell with officers around him rendering no aid but continued to  mock him and try to arouse him with a credit card under his nose for approximately 6 mins before deciding to call for EMS to help Steven, which by then was too late. He was brought to Stamford ER with no nurse, no doctor having the respect or courtesy to speak to me while my son was lying dead. Instead, I was surrounded by Stamford Police Officers and Hospital clergy  workers telling me I cannot touch my son because he was part of a, “crime  scene”. With my strong faith in God, I was able to hold it together. 

Three years later, I am still unclear which offense Steven committed or was  involved in. I reached out to several CT law enforcement officers, and they  refused to speak with me about my son’s death while he was in the custody of 

Stamford Police. Three years later we are still trying to determine what  happened to Steven from the time the police were apprehending him to the time he was pronounced dead. There was limited transparency and no  accountability due to the lack of information given by law enforcement officials  into my son’s death. I need answers, everything has been swept under the rug. 

An autopsy conducted on my son by The State medical examiner in Farmington, CT claims that Steven died from natural causes. However, the Family’s own independent medical examiner says it is NOT a natural death, in that Steven was fatigued and in respiratory distress from running from being chased by the police and he told them so when they arrested him. But they did not call an ambulance and they did not take him to the hospital, which was closer than the  police station, despite the fact, he could not stand up and was pleading for help. Steven was clearly mistreated at the hands of the police before he was brought  to the police station and was neglected once he arrived there and sat slumped over and unconscious. I requested an independent autopsy where he lie at the funeral home, but the funeral director refused to do so. However, she gave me a waiver to sign to view Steven’s body and I was not allowed by her to have Steven’s open casket at his funeral service. It was more than a year before the Stamford Police Department handed over to me Steven’s clothing and belongings for which, I still can’t comprehend why his things were kept in their possession for such a long time before being released.  

Thus, far the law enforcement officials involved are still keeping the truth from me. From Justice! 

For justice, I am asking the community and anyone who reads our story to help us bring justice to my son, Steven Barrier. We want to ensure this does not happen to anyone else who is experiencing a Mental Health Crisis and calls for help. No one should be scared that a call for help will result in the loss of a loved  one. My heart and my family’s hearts are shattered. Steven’s loss is excruciating. It will shape our lives forever. 

We call for a change in the justice system. Now!