Residents press Monrovia council for answers on Diego Valley Home Depot incident and urge sanctuary ordinance

Several Monrovia residents used the council's public-comment period on March 3 to press for a fuller accounting of the circumstances surrounding the death of Carlos Roberto Mononttoya Valdez and to call for a sanctuary-city ordinance.

Sheri Lochner told the council she had requested follow-up since the previous meeting and asked why the city "has not engaged in investigating Senor Valdez's death as per this policy?" She cited the city's police policy and state law governing coroner inquiries and asked whether the coroner was contacted and whether the city had requested a coroner's report.

Martha Mack said that "three more people have died as a result of ICE actions" since the council last met and read a long list of names, saying the total had reached "52 deaths so far." Alicia Parardo, a Monrovia resident and volunteer at the Home Depot where the earlier incident occurred, described volunteering to document ICE activity, said day laborers had been exploited by employers who did not pay them, and voiced support for a memorial and advocacy efforts.

Daffhne Sagala Morphin introduced herself as Southern California Edison's new government relations manager and offered to be a contact for the city; she was not responding to the public comments on immigration.

In response to the public comments, the city manager clarified the city's role in the Valdez case: city first responders "rendered aid to Mr. Mononttoya on the freeway and we transported him to the hospital." The manager said Mr. Mononttoya was alive when transported and "he died later while in the hospital care. So that would be the reason why we did not contact the coroner." The manager added that the California Highway Patrol handled and coordinated the investigation because the incident occurred on the 210 freeway and that the city has requested CHP records and will continue to pursue them.

Speakers urged the council to adopt a sanctuary ordinance and to consider banning city employees from holding jobs with federal immigration agencies and restricting ICE operations on city property; the council did not take formal action on those requests at the meeting. The city manager said staff would continue to request records from external agencies and update the council if documentation is received.

The meeting proceeded to regular reports and items after public comment.