CILIVEA THYRION MEMORIAL VIGIL DEMANDS JUSTICE FOR IN‐CUSTODY DEATHS AT MILWAUKEE COUNTY JAIL
Family, Friends, and Indigenous Community Gathers to Remember Cilivea Thyrion in a Peaceful Vigil Calling for Awareness of In‐Custody Deaths like Cilivea’s at Milwaukee County Jail.
Milwaukee, WI – As the anniversary of Cilivea Thyrion’s tragic passing approaches, her family, friends, and the Indigenous community unite for a memorial vigil demanding justice for in‐ custody deaths at Milwaukee County Jail. Cilivea, a vibrant and artistic indigenous woman, lost her life on December 16, just four days after celebrating her 20th birthday at the Milwaukee County Jail.
Join us on Saturday, December 16, at 11 am at the Milwaukee Safety Building, 821 W State St, Milwaukee, WI 53233, to honor Cilivea in a peaceful vigil. We seek to bring healing and raise awareness about the alarming surge in in‐custody deaths in recent years, including three tragic incidents since Cilivea’s passing. Kerrie, Cilivea’s mother, continues to tirelessly advocate for change, calling for awareness and urgent action to address inmate deaths at Milwaukee County Jail.
Event Schedule:
∙ 11:00 am: Gather at MKE Safety Building
Prayer and Candle Lighting
∙ 11:30 am: Kerrie Hirte (Cilivea’s Mother) & Family Speak
∙ 12:00 pm (Noon): Native American Jingle Dress Dance for the healing of the family, inmates, and community.
∙ 12:30 pm: Community Sharing
∙ 1:00 pm: Closing Song/Prayer
Cilivea faced debilitating mental health issues that were further intensified by prolonged exposure to the inhumane conditions of the facility. Despite being placed on suicide watch, she was hospitalized multiple times for suicide attempts while at the Milwaukee County Jail. Shockingly, she continued to be held in the same facility. Kerrie, her mother, tirelessly communicated and pleaded for proper treatment for her daughter’s dire medical condition while in custody. Despite these urgent pleas and documented hospitalizations, Cilivea’s situation remained unchanged, underscoring the critical need for reform in the treatment of individuals with mental health challenges within the Milwaukee County Jail system.
Wisconsin State Statute governing mental health care while in custody underscores the state’s commitment to providing a full range of treatment and rehabilitation services for mental disorders, developmental disabilities, and mental illness. Had she received the care promised to its citizens by the state, Cilivea would be alive today.
Waking Women Healing Institute, a culturally founded and survivor‐led advocacy group, provides direct service healing, responsive, and preventative support to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) survivors and families. Data reveals the overrepresentation and misclassification of Indigenous people in incarceration, illustrating how incarceration becomes a systematic tool leading to the loss of our relatives.
Join us on Saturday, December 16, at 11 am at the Milwaukee County Safety Building to remember Cilivea and amplify her mother’s call for “NO MORE DEATHS!” Please consider donating to cover Kerrie Hirte’s travel expenses, materials, and communications as she advocates for Cilivea. Click the link below to donate and leave a comment: Justice Fund for Cilivea. All donations will be presented directly to Cilivea’s mother and family. #nomoredeaths #MMIW #JusticeforCiliveaThyrion https://www.wakingwomenhealingint.org/Donate
For media inquiries, please contact:
Starla Thompson, Policy and Justice Advocate
Waking Women Healing Institute
414‐544‐7500
Lo Cross , 1 of 2 Co-chairs for the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression
414-708-2859
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Wisconsin Bail Out the People Movement 
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