In a heart-wrenching development, a 10-year-old girl from El Salvador has become the sixth child to die while in U.S. border detention. This tragedy follows the recent passing of another young migrant, raising serious concerns about the treatment of children in custody.
The girl, whose name has not been disclosed, had been in the care of U.S. authorities since March 2018. She sadly passed away on September 29 at a hospital in Omaha, Nebraska, after battling health issues related to congenital heart defects. According to a spokesperson from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), she underwent surgery that left her in a coma before receiving palliative care in Phoenix, Arizona. Ultimately, she was transferred to Omaha to be closer to her family. The cause of her death was reported as fever and respiratory distress.
Details surrounding her crossing are murky, but it is known that she entered a facility in San Antonio last spring. It’s also unclear if she was accompanied by family members. HHS is tasked with providing medical care for unaccompanied minors, yet the circumstances of her death remained unreported until recently, raising questions about transparency.
The news has ignited outrage among politicians and advocates alike. “It’s unacceptable that so many children have lost their lives in custody,” stated Florida Rep. Maria Diaz, who chairs the congressional group advocating for migrant rights. “The lack of communication from the administration about these deaths is concerning. We’ve been asking about child fatalities for months, yet this case was hidden for eight months.”
Just earlier this week, another tragedy struck when 16-year-old Leo Martinez, a Guatemalan boy, died at a Border Patrol station, reportedly from the flu after being held longer than federal guidelines allow. Another recent case involved a 2.5-year-old Guatemalan child who succumbed to pneumonia after weeks in the hospital, following the detention of their family at the El Paso border. Previous incidents included a 16-year-old boy who died of a brain infection and a 7-year-old girl who passed away just a day after being apprehended with her father.
This alarming series of deaths highlights a troubling pattern. These fatalities come at a time when the Trump administration has faced intense scrutiny over its policies regarding migrant children, including family separations and inadequate living conditions in detention facilities. Despite the growing number of fatalities, the administration has yet to release an official statement addressing these issues.
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In summary, the heartbreaking death of a sixth child in U.S. custody underscores serious concerns about the treatment of minors at the border. As the calls for accountability grow, the administration must confront the implications of its policies and ensure the safety of vulnerable children.
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