A girl with a complex medical condition was not taken to the hospital.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) found that medical personnel contracted by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) provided medication to an 8-year-old Panamanian girl, but not access to a hospital, until she died on May 17. The girl, who had sickle cell anemia and a medical history of heart disease, was detained at the CBP station in Harlingen, Texas, with members of her family. When she developed a fever, she was given pain-relieving drugs, ice packs, and a cold shower. Her parents requested access to an ambulance several times for her.
“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 department stated.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has yet to officially comment, but acting Commissioner Troy Miller called the child’s death “a deeply upsetting and unacceptable tragedy.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For acting Commissioner Troy Miller to seek God’s guidance in heading CBP.
- For Secretary Mayorkas as he assesses the medical contractors working at the border.
- For migrants to be mindful of the condition of family members they attempt to bring to the U.S. without documentation.
Sources: Reuters, Customs and Border Protection
