Death Of 7-YO Guatemalan Girl At U.S-Mexico Border After Being Detained By Police Sparks Outrage
The death of a seven year old Guatemalan girl has sparked outrage after the child along with her father were picked up by the U.S border patrol from the U.S-Mexico border.
The death of a seven year old Guatemalan girl has sparked outrage after the child along with her father were picked up by the U.S border patrol from the U.S-Mexico border.
The girl who has been identified as Jackeline Caal had gone days without food and water but the border patrol personnel said that she appeared to be in good health when she was detained. After seven hours, she was put on a bus but soon began vomiting, reported AP. By the end of the two-hour drive she had stopped breathing.
The immigration officials said that they had obtained in writing from the father that Jackeline wasn¡¯t sick, wasn¡¯t sweating and seemed mentally alert. However, her father alleged that her child had nothing to eat and drink for days.
Photo: Reuters/ Honduran migrants reach U.S Border
Customs and Border Protection said on Friday that an interview with the girls raised no signs of trouble. While the authorities said that the girl¡¯s father spoke Spanish language, a Guatemalan official said that the family belonged to an area in northern Guatemala called Raxruha in Alta Verapaz and may have spoken a Mayan dialect, not Spanish.
Th emergency personnel tried to revive the girl twice but only in vain. She was later taken to El Paso hospital in Texas via helicopter at 7:40 am. Upon her admission to the hospital she was found to have swelling in her apart from a liver failure. An autopsy report is still pending. The girl died on December 08 with her 29 year old father by her side.
Photo: Reuters
It was reported that there were only four agents who were working with 163 migrants and 50 unaccompanied children. There was only one bus to transport them to the nearest station which is 94 miles away.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said that the agents involved in this scene are deeply affected and empathize with the father over the loss of his daughter. The commissioner though said that the incident exposed the dangers of travelling long distances in crowded transportation through remote desert areas without food, water and other supplies.
A 7-year-old girl should not be dying of dehydration and shock in Customs and Border Protection custody.
¡ª Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) December 14, 2018
Secretary Nielsen and @DHSgov must be held accountable for Jakelin Amei Rosmery Caal Maquin¡¯s death. https://t.co/W1jMYJWc7Q
Increasing number of children and families are heading for the U.S-Mexico border where Trump¡¯s administration is being criticized for handling migrants in a harsh manner. On November 25, the US security forces shut the country's busiest border and fired tear gas shells into Mexico to prevent central American migrants from approaching the borders.
Tear-gas canisters were shot into the air by U.S Customs and Border Protection officers as Mexican government helicopters flew above their heads.
