Migrant 10-year-old's death in US custody marks sixth case in a year

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/may/22/migrant-child-death-us-immigration

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US authorities say a 10-year-old girl from El Salvador died last year after being detained by border authorities in a previously unreported case.

The death marks the sixth known case in the last year of a child dying after being detained by border officials.

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said Wednesday that the girl died on 29 September at an Omaha, Nebraska, hospital of fever and respiratory distress.

Fifth migrant child dies after being detained by US border patrol

A spokesman, Mark Weber, said the department began caring for the unidentified girl in March 2018. Weber said the girl was “medically fragile” with a history of congenital heart defects.

He did not say when she had entered the US or whether a parent or adult accompanied her. HHS provides care to children the government considers unaccompanied.

The deaths of immigrant children in US government custody have sparked calls for investigations and changes to Trump administration policy. Weber said the department was committed to protecting the children in its custody.