LONG BEACH, Calif. (KCAL) - Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson has called on the U.S. House of Representatives for an independent investigation into the death of Pvt. Ana Basaldua Ruiz following a military investigation that concluded there was no foul play in her death.
Army officials informed family members that the 20-year-old Long Beach woman died by suicide at Fort Hood, Texas on March 13.
Basaldua Ruiz left her home in Long Beach in 2021 to enlist in the army, serving for 15 months as a combat engineer in the 1st Cavalry Division, officials said.
Basaldua Ruiz's mother said her daughter had confided in her that she was being sexually harassed by a superior at the base, thereby leaving in question her daughter's suicide.
"These allegations are deeply concerning, especially given the history of high rates of sexual assault, harassment, and death at Ft. Hood," Richardson said in a March 30 letter to local U.S. Reps. Nanette Barragán and Robert Garcia.
"Ana is a daughter of Long Beach, a mutual constituent of ours, and her death is an issue of great concern to our community."
Army investigators said they are looking into the sexual harassment allegations. "Army CID will continue to conduct a thorough investigation and gather all evidence and facts to ensure they discover exactly what transpired. Information related to any possible harassment will be addressed and investigated fully," Fort Hood officials said in a written release.
The news comes as the beleaguered base is instituting changes after a string of soldier deaths, including 20-year-old Vanessa Guillén, who was allegedly killed by a fellow soldier. In 2020, Guillén went missing after she reported allegedly being sexually harassed by Army Spc. Aaron David Robinson. He shot and killed himself as police tried to arrest him in connection with Guillén's murder.
Guillén's death led to congressional inquiries and the formation of the Fort Hood Independent Review Committee, whose 2020 report concluded the base's command has been permissive of sexual harassment and sexual assault. The report also found that criminal division investigators had inadequate experience and soldiers felt unsafe on the base.
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