It was five days before UC San Diego student Daniel Chang saw another person after he was locked away in a federal holding cell following a drug bust at his friend’s home.
Chang, who “screamed,” “kicked madly at the door,” and “cried like a baby,” after realizing he had been forgotten in his cell, is now speaking out about the horrific ordeal.
Chong said he was visiting friends when federal agents showed up for a drug bust that recovered 18,000 Ecstasy pills, three weapons, and additional drugs, according to UT San Diego. He said he didn’t know about the drug operation going on there and was only smoking weed that night, but he was arrested with six other people when agents showed up for the bust.
Chong says he became completely disillusion after days with no food, water or human contact. He drank his own urine and used shards of broken glass to cut the words “Sorry Mom” into his arm.
“I was completely insane,” Chong said.
In his hunger-driven stupor, Chong ingested bits of glass from his broken eyeglasses and a white powdery substance, likely methamphetamine, that the DEA had left in the cell inadvertently.
He was finally found by agents on the fifth day who then called paramedics. Chong spent the next five days in the hospital recovering from “a perforated lung that was the result of eating broken glass,” according to UT San Diego.
The ordeal also forced Chong to miss several exams, according to his lawyer. The DEA has defended the raid, but does say the incident is under investigation.
“DEA plans to thoroughly review both the events and detention procedures on April 21st and after,” a statement said. However, it didn’t offer any further explanation as to how Chong could have been overlooked for days.
Chong’s lawyer said he will most likely file a federal lawsuit against the DEA.
