Eliany Gómez, one of the two Cuban young women who tragically passed away in March in Las Vegas, was laid to rest last week at the Santa Ifigenia Cemetery in Santiago de Cuba. The emotional ceremony, attended by family and friends, featured a heartfelt rendition of "Amor eterno" by Juan Gabriel, performed by a mariachi band.
Two videos shared on Instagram by crime reporter Niover Licea captured the overwhelming emotion of the moment. The footage shows numerous mourners crying and grieving beside the casket just before it was buried.
The bodies of the young women arrived in Havana on May 25, two months after their deaths in the United States. Cuban authorities delayed the transfer and delivery to their families, citing a fuel shortage as the reason for the hold-up.
The families criticized the delays in transporting the bodies, attributing the issues to the inefficiency and "lack of respect, empathy, sensitivity, ethics, and feelings" of the government officials, whom they labeled as "corrupt."
Eliany Gómez and Thaylien Brindis died on March 24 in Las Vegas, where both were residing. According to accounts shared on social media by family and friends, the young women suffered a fatal overdose due to drugs that someone allegedly slipped into their drinks while they were at a bar.
As of now, the results of the police investigation into the case remain unknown.
Thaylien had a young daughter in Cuba and had lived in the Sueño neighborhood of the eastern city before emigrating to the United States in February this year. Her friend Eliany was the mother of an eight-year-old boy named Christopher and grew up in the Santa Bárbara neighborhood.
Following the tragic news of their deaths, family and friends launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise the necessary funds to repatriate their bodies and give them a proper burial in their homeland, as per the wishes of their respective families. This wish has finally been fulfilled.
Key Questions About the Tragic Deaths and Funeral of the Cuban Young Women
Here are some frequently asked questions regarding the deaths of Eliany Gómez and Thaylien Brindis, and the subsequent events surrounding their funerals.
What caused the deaths of Eliany Gómez and Thaylien Brindis?
The young women reportedly suffered a fatal overdose due to drugs allegedly slipped into their drinks at a bar.
Why was there a delay in repatriating their bodies to Cuba?
Cuban authorities cited a fuel shortage as the reason for the delay in transferring and delivering the bodies to their families.
How did the families manage to bring the bodies back to Cuba?
Family and friends started a GoFundMe campaign to raise the necessary funds for repatriating the bodies and giving them a proper burial in Cuba.