Unvaccinated police officer dies after battling COVID-19

By Zoe Brown

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    OVERLAND PARK, Kansas (KCTV) — Overland Park Police Officer Freddie Castro, 23, has passed away following a battle with COVID-19.

The diagnosis for Castro was not good, but officers and his family held out hope of a miracle recovery.

Castro joined the police department at just 19 years old as a motorist assist officer and eventually got his badge right after his 21st birthday.

Police Chief Frank Donchez says he was a joy to work with.

“To lose such a bright young man with such a future ahead of him. You all have seen pictures of Freddie. He always had a smile on his face. He loved what he was doing. He loved being a police officer. He couldn’t wait to be one. He loved being one,” he said.

Castro wasn’t vaccinated. Last week, his family said they believe he got sick in the line of duty.

Donchez posted the following on the Overland Park Police Department’s Facebook page just before 6 p.m. Tuesday:

“It is with a heavy heart that I share that Overland Park Police Officer Freddie Castro passed away a short time ago.

Freddie was young, enthusiastic and so proud to be a police officer. He left a lasting impact on our department and we will miss him.

Please keep Freddie’s family and friends and his OPPD family in your thoughts and prayers.”

KCTV5 first reported about Castro on Aug. 27. At that point, he has been in the hospital battling the virus for 33 days and was on a ventilator.

“Until it really hits you at home, you really don’t know how damaging this virus is,” Castro’s mother Michaela Robles had said at that time. “I don’t wish that on anybody. It’s not fun to see a loved one go through that. And, he’s so young.”

At that time, the Overland Park Police Officers Foundation was accepting donations for his care and for his family.

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