A 9-year-old migrant girl drowned as her family attempted to cross the Rio Grande into Texas on March 20, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced Thursday.
The big picture: U.S. Border Patrol agents found a mother and two children unconscious on an island in the river that serves as the natural border between the U.S. and Mexico in the state of Texas.
- The agents administered first aid while transporting the family to shore. The mother from Guatemala and her three-year-old child from Mexico regained consciousness.
- The nine-year-old was transferred to the Eagle Pass Fire Department’s Emergency Medical Services where she was pronounced dead by medical professionals.
What they're saying: “We extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of this small child,” Del Rio Sector Chief Patrol Agent Austin Skero II said.
- “During these hard times our agents remain resilient, and I am extremely proud of their efforts to preserve human life.”
- "Since the beginning of Fiscal Year 2021, Oct. 1, Del Rio Sector Border Patrol agents have rescued over 500 migrants attempting to illegally enter the country," the CBP statement read.
Go deeper: Understanding the immigration surge