By Valerie Gonzalez | Associated Press
In a tragic incident, the mother of an 8-year-old girl who died in Border Patrol custody has revealed that agents ignored her pleas to hospitalize her daughter, who was medically fragile and experiencing severe pain, difficulty breathing, and an inability to walk.
Mabel Alvarez Benedicks, the mother, stated in an emotional phone interview that despite her daughter’s diagnosis of influenza, the agents did not consider hospital care necessary, despite being aware of her heart problems and sickle cell anemia.
The mother expressed her anguish, stating, “They killed my daughter because she was nearly a day and a half without being able to breathe.” She added that her daughter cried and begged for help, but the agents ignored her pleas and did nothing.
The heart-wrenching incident occurred on the ninth day of the family’s time in Border Patrol custody, surpassing the agency’s policy of holding people for no longer than 72 hours, a rule that is often violated during times of high volumes.
This account raises serious concerns about the Border Patrol’s handling of the situation, especially in the wake of another child migrant death just two weeks prior in U.S. government custody.
Roderick Kise, a spokesperson for Customs and Border Protection, the parent agency of the Border Patrol, refrained from commenting extensively due to the ongoing investigation into the girl’s death.
“No parent should have to beg for their child to receive basic medical attention and watch helplessly as their child’s health deteriorates to the point of no return,” expressed Jennifer Nagda, Chief Programs Officer at the nonprofit Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights.
Nagda called on the Biden administration to establish “welcoming centers” at the border, where immigration officials can process asylum-seeking families with children while non-governmental organizations offer essential services like food, clothing, and medical care.
Alvarez Benedicks, 35, along with her husband and three children (ages 14, 12, and 8), crossed the border to Brownsville, Texas, on May 9. After a doctor diagnosed her 8-year-old daughter, Anadith Danay Reyes Alvarez, with influenza, the family was sent to the Harlingen station on May 14, though it remains unclear why they were held for such a prolonged period.
The mother described the unsanitary conditions at the Harlingen station, noting dust and a strong urine stench. When she reported her daughter’s bone pain to an agent, she received a dismissive response, with the agent suggesting that the girl’s pain was due to normal growth and advising her to drink water.
Alvarez Benedicks understandably questioned the agent’s medical expertise, stating, “How would he know what to do if he’s not a doctor?”
She further explained that despite her pleas, an ambulance was denied when her daughter experienced breathing difficulties. Alvarez Benedicks felt that her concerns were not taken seriously.
Although Anadith received some medical attention, including saline fluids, a shower, and fever medication, her breathing problems persisted. She was also unable to eat due to a sore throat and eventually stopped walking.
Alvarez Benedicks shared that a doctor had instructed them to return if Anadith fainted. However, when they checked her blood pressure on Wednesday, their request for an ambulance was once again denied.
Later that day, an ambulance was finally called after Anadith became limp, unconscious, and began bleeding from her mouth. The mother maintains that her daughter showed no signs of life at the Border Patrol station before being taken to the hospital.
Currently, the family is staying at a migrant shelter in McAllen, Texas, and they are seeking financial assistance to bring their daughter’s remains to New York City, their intended final destination in the U.S.
Anadith, who was born in Panama to Honduran parents, had congenital heart disease. She underwent surgery three years ago, which her mother described as successful and inspired Anadith to aspire to become a doctor.
This tragic incident comes just a week after the death of Ángel Eduardo Maradiaga Espinoza, a 17-year-old Honduran boy who died in the custody of the U.S. Health and Human Services Department while traveling alone.
The recent expiration of pandemic-related asylum limits, known as Title 42, led to a surge of people attempting to cross the border, overwhelming the Border Patrol facilities. Last week, the Border Patrol apprehended an average of 10,100 individuals per day, compared to 5,200 per day in March.
Prior to the expiration of asylum restrictions, the Border Patrol had 28,717 individuals in custody on May 10, doubling the count from two weeks earlier, according to court documents. The custody count has since dropped to 22,259 but remains considerably high.
The capacity for custody is approximately 17,000 individuals, as stated in a government document from the previous year. To accommodate the increased numbers, temporary large tents, such as one in San Diego, have been set up, providing space for approximately 500 people.
As of Sunday, the average time spent in custody was 77 hours.
Associated Press writer Elliot Spagat in San Diego contributed to this report.
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