The daughter of a Democratic congressman from Chicago has died, with few details being released.
“Last night our beloved daughter, Rosa, passed away at the age of 28. Our family is completely heartbroken,” Democratic Rep. Jesús García posted on his website Tuesday.
“Rosa joined our family as a young girl who had been in the foster care system. We did our best to provide a stable, loving, and welcoming home for her,” he posted.
Daughter of Illinois Democratic Rep. Chuy Garcia dead at 28 https://t.co/km3cnDmIDk
— “Sudden And Unexpected” (@toobaffled) April 4, 2023
“Our family asks for privacy and welcomes your thoughts and prayers during this most difficult time,” he wrote.
No cause of death was given, nor were any other circumstances released concerning the death of Garcia’s daughter.
Several Democratic politicians shared their condolences.
My heart breaks for @RepChuyGarcia and the entire García family. The loss of a child is an unimaginable pain that, sadly, I know all too well. My prayers and deepest sympathies are with you. https://t.co/a1xwOuSGZR
— Joe Morelle (@RepJoeMorelle) April 4, 2023
My hearts breaks for @repchuygarcia and his family. The loss of a loved one, especially of a child, is an incomparable pain. Sending prayers and strength to heal. https://t.co/WIU1gNQhWG
— Rep. Barbara Lee (@RepBarbaraLee) April 4, 2023
My deepest condolences to @RepChuyGarcia.
The loss of a child is an unimaginable pain and I will keep his entire family in my thoughts and prayers as they go through this difficult time. https://t.co/0NebeM1QsP
— Rep. Nydia Velazquez (@NydiaVelazquez) April 4, 2023
This is devastating. Angela and I are holding @RepChuyGarcia and his family in our prayers during this difficult time. https://t.co/MFs8UlOssl
— Senator Alex Padilla (@SenAlexPadilla) April 4, 2023
According to the Daily Mail, Rosa was the only daughter of Garcia and his wife, Evelyn. The couple has two other children.
Garcia had been a candidate for mayor of Chicago, but failed to win enough votes to make it to Tuesday’s runoff election.
As a candidate, Garcia vowed to “expand the availability of mental health services to Chicagoans. I will work with the County health system to add local clinics and expand existing City clinics to provide mental and behavioral health services which would add more resources at the local level,” according to the Chicago Tribune.
“Chicagoans feel less safe because they are less safe and they have lost trust in the mayor’s ability to make our city safer and there is no trust between our communities and law enforcement,” he also said as a candidate.
According to his Congressional biography, Garcia was born in Mexico and grew up there “while his father worked in the United States, first under the WWII-era bracero program and later at a cold-storage plant in Chicago.
“In 1965, Congressman García and his family immigrated to the United States with permanent resident status. He still remembers his first American meal: a bologna sandwich from a roadside diner in Texas,” the biography said.
