Alicia Simmons, a Black trans woman, was found dead in her apartment on Sunday Night. There has been very little information given about her death, and the case is still undergoing investigation.
Philadelphia Police Department officers has confirmed with Gaye Magazine that she was found in an apartment in the 4900 block of Walnut Street, in the northwestern Walnut Hill neighborhood. At this time there appears to be no foul play. She was found unresponsive in her bed with no signs of forced entry into her apartment.
“At this point, it is too early to determine exactly what caused her death, and we want to be careful to avoid speculation,” a spokesperson wrote.
“We will provide an update when one becomes available," the department added.
Philadelphia journalist Ernest Owens wrote: "Fact: Alicia Simmons was not shot or bruttally murdered," he wrote in a Facebook post. "[There] doesn't appear to be any signs of foul play when relatives found her in her house dead. She was found asleep peacefully. This doesn't rule out a murder, but it doesn't authomatically fit a lot of the recent narratives surrounding murdered Black trans women this year."
Trans activist Ashlee Marie Preston stated on Facebook: “We’re waiting for the ‘official’ cause of death — but many of us already have that familiar nauseating feeling in the pit of our stomachs. At this point, I’ve lost count of how many Black trans women (that we know of) have been murdered this year. We deserve better.”
Simmons is the 22nd trans woman to have been found dead in 2019. 20 of those are trans women of color. If you have any information about Alicia Simmons that could assist in this investigation please contact the Philadelphia Police Department.
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