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The
child died on May 17 after experiencing a medical emergency at
the agency's station in Harlingen, three days after being
transferred from the Donna Processing Facility, near the border
in Donna, Texas, for medical isolation.
Acting CBP Commissioner Troy Miller called the child’s death "a
deeply upsetting and unacceptable tragedy" in a statement, and
pledged to take actions - including a ban on some medical
providers involved and review of medically vulnerable people in
the organization's custody.
The family had been held by CBP for nine days despite agency
policy limiting custody to 72 hours.
The family was being held for deportation, two U.S. Department
of Homeland Security officials said, requesting anonymity to
discuss details of the case. DHS did not immediately reply to a
request for comment.
Neither Border Patrol agents nor the contracted medical
personnel who interacted with the family in Harlingen
acknowledged being aware of the girl's medical conditions, which
included sickle cell anemia and congenital heart disease, CBP
said.
The family had reported the girl's medical history at the Donna
facility, CBP said, adding that the girl's mother had requested
three or four times that an ambulance be called or that the
child be taken to a hospital.
The girl had ran a fever which peaked at 104.9 degrees
Fahrenheit (40.5°C) over the early morning of May 16, CBP said,
adding she had been prescribed flu and fever reducing drugs,
given ice packs and a cold shower.
"Despite the girl's condition, her mother's concerns, and the
series of treatments required to manage her condition,
contracted medical personnel did not transfer her to a hospital
for higher-level care," the statement said.
In addition, CBP said, surveillance cameras at the Harlingen
station had not been working while the family was in custody,
forcing them to rely on staff interviews.
The latest details about the incident came from an ongoing
investigation by CBP's Office of Professional Responsibility and
remain subject to verification, the agency said.
(Reporting by Sarah Morland in Mexico City and Ted Hesson in
Washington; Editing by Leslie Adler)
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