Medical checks done on children after 2 deaths
HOUSTON: US immigration authorities said on Wednesday they had done new medical checks on nearly every child in Border Patrol custody after the death of a second youngster in the agency’s care in the span of less than three weeks.
The authorities did not disclose the results of the examinations.
An 8-year-old boy, identified by Guatemalan authorities as Felipe Gómez Alonzo, died just before midnight on Christmas Eve. He had been in the custody of US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) with his father, Agustin Gomez, since December 18.
CBP said in a statement that an agent first noticed the boy had a cough and “glossy eyes” at about 9am on Monday. He was hospitalised twice that day before dying, the agency said. The cause of death was being probed.
Officials at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told reporters on Wednesday that almost all checks ordered in reaction to the boy’s death had been completed.
Some children detained in more remote areas were rescreened by emergency medical technicians or Border Patrol agents, officials said.
DHS wouldn’t say how many children are in Border Patrol custody.
The agency also wouldn’t say why Felipe and his father were detained for almost a week, an unusually long time, or why they were placed back in detention – at a Border Patrol highway checkpoint – after being released from the hospital.
Another Guatemalan child in US custody, 7-year-old Jakelin Caal, died on December 8 and was returned to her village for burial. Her death – which brought down heavy criticism on US immigration authorities – is also under investigation.
Immigration advocates and human rights groups sharply criticised CBP in the wake of Felipe’s death.
Agency guidelines say immigrants generally shouldn’t be detained for more than 72 hours in CBP holding facilities, which are usually smaller and have fewer services than Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centres. |