Family members, lawmakers react following death of Otieno

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - NBC12 is learning more about the man who lost his life after an encounter with Henrico County deputies during an intake process.

Irvo Otieno, 28, was being admitted to a mental health hospital by Henrico deputies in Dinwiddie on March 6 when he lost his life. His family is understandably heartbroken and wants answers.

NBC12′s Raven Brown visited the family’s attorney, Mark Krudys, on Wednesday. He says loved ones just aren’t ready to speak publicly about this loss, but through social media, his family said Otieno often said he wanted to be great one day and help their village in Kenya with their needs.

They also said he loved writing and music and was starting his own path.

Otieno was known as “Young Vo” to family and friends, creating a life in Richmond after migrating to America from Nairobi, Kenya, at age 4.

Otieno was a 2013 graduate of Freeman High School in Henrico and played football. Many friends knew him as a loving person.

His brother Leon said their mom Caroline worked day and night to see them through school and that Ivor loved sports, music and the beach. After high school, his family said Ivor expressed himself through writing, and he made his way to the music scene by creating hip-hop and rap songs.

The family said everything changed in an instance when they learned of his death at Central State Hospital in Dinwiddie.

Del. Lamont Bagby (D)-Richmond said while he has not been in contact with the family, he’s saddened and outraged by Ivor’s death and said more resources need to go toward mental health care.

“We need to continue to work together in a collaborative fashion, local and state, to make sure that we are funding first responders so that we are adequately responding to mental health crises and the right individuals are responding,” Del. Bagby said.

NBC12 got in touch with the Henrico NAACP branch, the president said Otieno’s family has not yet contacted them, but they said they are monitoring the situation.

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