Household of woman who died in Border Patrol custody holds New York funeral, says they need justice

A funeral for an 8-year-old woman who died in Border Patrol custody is scheduled for Friday in New York City, the place her household had been heading final month earlier than their journey throughout the southern U.S. border led to tragedy.

The demise of Anadith Tanay Reyes Alvarez has put the U.S. authorities below new scrutiny over the care given to 1000’s of migrants detained on the border every day.

Anadith’s mom says the woman had a historical past of coronary heart issues and sickle cell anemia. An inner investigation discovered that Border Patrol medical personnel have been knowledgeable concerning the woman’s medical historical past however declined to overview the file earlier than she had a seizure and died on May 17, her household’s ninth day in custody.

“We are laying our baby to rest and may she rest in peace. We want justice for her, and we do not want this to ever happen again. We will fight for justice,” the Álvarez household mentioned in an announcement.

Funeral providers will happen Friday night in New York City, and the household says the woman can be buried Saturday at a cemetery in New Jersey.

Anadith, who was born in Panama, died in a Border Patrol station in Harlingen, Texas. More than every week earlier, her household of 5 had surrendered to frame brokers after crossing the Rio Grande from Mexico.

Anadith examined constructive for influenza whereas in custody. Mabel Alvarez Benedicks, her mom, advised the Associated Press that she had warned brokers and workers about Anadith’s medical historical past. A preliminary report from CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility discovered medical workers declined to overview the file.

Late Thursday, CBP introduced it had reassigned its chief medical officer, Dr. David Tarantino, after Anadith’s demise, saying in an announcement it was “bringing in additional senior leadership to drive action across the agency.”

The household entered the U.S. at a time when each day unlawful crossings topped 10,000 as migrants rushed to beat the top of pandemic-related restrictions on looking for asylum that have been lifted on May 11.

While the household was being held in Harlingen, the woman skilled stomachaches, nausea, issue respiration and a fever that reached 104.9 levels Fahrenheit (40.5 levels Celsius) a day earlier than her demise, the CBP report mentioned.

The nurse practitioner additionally reported denying three or 4 requests from the woman’s mom for an ambulance till the woman collapsed in her mom’s arms and misplaced consciousness.

“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 Office of Professional Responsibility mentioned.

Dr. Paul H. Wise, a Stanford University pediatrics professor who visited South Texas to look into the circumstances round what he mentioned was a “preventable” demise, mentioned there needs to be little hesitation about sending in poor health kids to the hospital, particularly these with power situations.