Indian migrant girl, 6, died in Arizona desert as mother sought water

By Andrew Hay

 

FILE PHOTO: The U.S.-Mexico border is seen near Lukeville, Pima County, Arizona, U.S., September 11, 2018. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo

 

(Reuters) - A six-year-old girl from India died of heat stroke in an Arizona desert after her mother left her with other migrants to go in search of water, a medical examiner and U.S. Border Patrol said on Friday.

 

The girl, Gurupreet Kaur, soon to celebrate her seventh birthday, was found by U.S. Border Patrol west of Lukeville, Arizona on Wednesday, when temperatures reached a high of 108 degrees Fahrenheit (42 Celsius), U.S. Border Patrol and the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner (PCOME) said.

 

The girl's death, the second recorded fatality of a migrant child this year in Arizona's southern deserts, highlighted the danger of summer heat as a surge of migrant families, mainly from Central America, cross the U.S.-Mexico border to seek asylum.

 

An increasing number of Indian nationals are entering the United States from Mexico, according to immigration officials. They are among thousands of Africans and Asian migrants making the arduous journey, led by smuggling cartels.

 

The girl and her mother were among a group of five Indian nationals dropped off by smugglers in a remote border area at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 17 miles (27 km) west of Lukeville, a U.S. border town 50 miles (80 km) southwest of Tucson.

 

After walking some way, the girl's mother and another woman went in search of water, leaving her daughter with another woman and her child.

 

"Once they went to look for water they never saw them again," said U.S. Border Patrol Agent Jesus Vasavilbaso.

 

The mother and the other woman wandered in the rugged Sonoran desert wilderness for 22 hours before being found by a U.S. Border Patrol agent who tracked their footprints.

 

Four hours later, Border Patrol agents found the body of the deceased girl a mile (1.6 km) from the border.

 

Agents tracked the remaining woman and her 8-year-old daughter into Mexico, before the mother and child re-entered the United States and surrendered to Border Patrol.

 

The deceased girl died of hyperthermia and her death was ruled an accident, said Greg Hess, PCOME chief medical officer.

 

Up to May 30, PCOME recorded 58 migrant deaths in southern Arizona, most heat related. It recorded 127 deaths in 2018.

 

Border Patrol blamed Kaur's death on the smugglers.

 

"This is a senseless death driven by cartels who are profiting from putting lives at risk," Tucson Chief Patrol Agent Roy Villareal said.

 

Human rights activist Juanita Molina said U.S. border security measures were also partly to blame, along with the exhausted state of Indian child migrants once they reach the border.

 

"They're trying to unload people in places where they can avoid detection themselves," Molina, director of Tucson-based Border Action Network, said of smugglers.

 

"For a young child, death can come very quickly," she added.

 

(Reporting by Andrew Hay in Taos, New Mexico; Editing by Bill Tarrant and Sandra Maler)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-06-15

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2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Human rights activist Juanita Molina said U.S. border security measures were also partly to blame, along with the exhausted state of Indian child migrants once they reach the border.

That's right. Let's blame the Border Service for trying to keep the border secure.

Sheesh.

Ok course, Trump is to blame for continuing to encourage illegal immigration while the Democrats try desperately to pass legislation to stem the tide...????

Here's a bit of advice... don't try to cross a sweltering desert in mid day illegally with a child in tow.  This is simply stupid and irresponsible behavior.  So flights paid from India to USA and likely money paid to smugglers... is this a true refugee or someone trying to simply improve their situation by breaking laws?

25 minutes ago, losworld said:

Here's a bit of advice... don't try to cross a sweltering desert in mid day illegally with a child in tow.  This is simply stupid and irresponsible behavior.  So flights paid from India to USA and likely money paid to smugglers... is this a true refugee or someone trying to simply improve their situation by breaking laws?

Should have flown to Canada. Much much easier border to cross and weather won't kill you this time of year

Should have stayed home

so, I guess trying the LEGAL method was too difficult?

In partial defense to some of the illegals, most likely this woman specifically.  

They are ignorant, desperate, have been extorted for money, lied to about the whole process, have little to no idea of the dangerous trip they are being forced to take by the coyotes and often times they are abandoned in the middle of no where, no water, no shelter and no clue what to do or where to go.  
 

News from March 2019: The number of migrant families crossing the southwest border has once again broken records, with unauthorized entries nearly double what they were a year ago, suggesting that the Trump administration’s aggressive policies have not discouraged new migration to the United States. More than 76,000 migrants crossed the border without authorization in February, an 11-year high. 

 

I still cant believe the US has spent Trillions of $ in the middle east hunting down terrorists - yet any terrorist with half a brain can come into the USA at its southern border. 

 

Americans always hail their all volunteer military personnel as protecting our freedoms, yet while these soldiers are all deployed in the middle east, the US is being invaded one day at a time at our border.  An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

4 hours ago, DoctorG said:

That's right. Let's blame the Border Service for trying to keep the border secure.

Sheesh.

The mother is at fault. 

3 hours ago, Emdog said:

Should have flown to Canada. Much much easier border to cross

Is Canada much easier to enter via airport than the USA, for an Indian national? 

(For a Russian they both are about the same hard, but Mexico very easy) 

It will require leadership and compermise to fix this problem this is sadly lacking under this administration they even try to prosecute people who give the migrants water it is not illegal to request asylum and I agree that many are economic migrants rip little one an innocent rip

42 minutes ago, MaksimMislavsky said:

Is Canada much easier to enter via airport than the USA, for an Indian national? 

(For a Russian they both are about the same hard, but Mexico very easy) 

 

For Russians you swim onto Brighton Beach.

4 hours ago, losworld said:

Here's a bit of advice... don't try to cross a sweltering desert in mid day illegally with a child in tow.  This is simply stupid and irresponsible behavior.  So flights paid from India to USA and likely money paid to smugglers... is this a true refugee or someone trying to simply improve their situation by breaking laws?

 

Apparently you did not read or comprehend the story.  I'll help you.

They were dropped off in the middle of nowhere by the smugglers.

Where did you get the idea they flew from India to USA?  If they flew to the US, why would they be trying to cross illegally into the US?   

10 minutes ago, Nowisee said:

 

Apparently you did not read or comprehend the story.  I'll help you.

They were dropped off in the middle of nowhere by the smugglers.

Where did you get the idea they flew from India to USA?  If they flew to the US, why would they be trying to cross illegally into the US?   

Flew to Mexico or wherever and used smugglers so obviously had cash in hand.  Sorry about the child but they do not qualify as refugees and should never have been attempting this in the first place.

Edited June 15, 20197 yr by tlandtday

29 minutes ago, Tug said:

It will require leadership and compermise to fix this problem this is sadly lacking under this administration they even try to prosecute people who give the migrants water it is not illegal to request asylum and I agree that many are economic migrants rip little one an innocent rip

Leadership>> Trump???

An off topic trolling post has been removed. 

 

A post containing trolling representations of Trump's name has been removed as well as the replies. 

The word is out world-wide, the US immigration laws are pathetically weak, even more so if you drag a child with you. If you can't go send the kid on his own, just make sure he remembers your bank account number. Why would you buy a visa when you can show up at the border with a sob story and be allowed entry?

The mother should be charged with failing to provide the necessaries for life. My guess is they were trying to take advantage of the law not allowing children to be kept in jail with adults. Children are a get out of detention free card. Once in the USA disappear into the secondary economy. Mexican authorities give lectures to migrants on the dangers. Proper footwear, clothing, how much water to carry, and how to carry it. Smugglers, not so much care. RIP to the little girl, no sympathy for the mother.

12 hours ago, Nowisee said:

In partial defense to some of the illegals, most likely this woman specifically.  

They are ignorant, desperate, have been extorted for money, lied to about the whole process, have little to no idea of the dangerous trip they are being forced to take by the coyotes and often times they are abandoned in the middle of no where, no water, no shelter and no clue what to do or where to go.  
 

Even in India they have access to the internet. If she had enough money for a flight to Mexico or wherever and pay traffickers, she had enough money to go on the internet and do some research, before putting herself into the hands of evil people that wanted to exploit her.

20 years ago, before the internet she would have been excused for not knowing.

7 hours ago, Ulic said:

The mother should be charged with failing to provide the necessaries for life. My guess is they were trying to take advantage of the law not allowing children to be kept in jail with adults. Children are a get out of detention free card. Once in the USA disappear into the secondary economy. Mexican authorities give lectures to migrants on the dangers. Proper footwear, clothing, how much water to carry, and how to carry it. Smugglers, not so much care. RIP to the little girl, no sympathy for the mother.

"Mexican authorities give lectures to migrants on the dangers. Proper footwear, clothing, how much water to carry, and how to carry it."

 

Ah, so Trump is right when he accuses Mexico of aiding illegal immigrants?

On 6/16/2019 at 9:52 AM, thaibeachlovers said:

"Mexican authorities give lectures to migrants on the dangers. Proper footwear, clothing, how much water to carry, and how to carry it."

 

Ah, so Trump is right when he accuses Mexico of aiding illegal immigrants?

No-one can be defined as an illegal immigrant until they are processed by government officials. However, only 15 percent pass the initial credible fear review. Of those who do pass, roughly 35 percent are granted asylum. On top of this trump has put in-place a quota of only 30,000 positively assessed refugees p.a. It is not clear to me what happens when the annual quota has been filled. Perhaps Scott can provide some insight.

 

https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2018/12/04/immigration-denial-rates-increase-asylum-seekers-face-setback-us-border

On 6/15/2019 at 7:04 PM, Tug said:

It will require leadership and compermise to fix this problem this is sadly lacking under this administration they even try to prosecute people who give the migrants water it is not illegal to request asylum and I agree that many are economic migrants rip little one an innocent rip

It will take a massive drop in world population to solve this problem.

And no, I don't know of a way to make that happen.

But, as Jeff said in the movie 'nature will find a way'

Edited June 17, 20197 yr by overherebc

25 minutes ago, overherebc said:

It will take a massive drop in world population to solve this problem.

And no, I don't know of a way to make that happen.

But, as Jeff said in the movie 'nature will find a way'

I see we are on the same page when it comes to overpopulation with all the attendant problems, such as poor people seeking a better life in other countries, despite not being eligible to enter those countries for work.

As you say, Gaia ( nature ) will find a way.

7 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I see we are on the same page when it comes to overpopulation with all the attendant problems, such as poor people seeking a better life in other countries, despite not being eligible to enter those countries for work.

As you say, Gaia ( nature ) will find a way.

I only post what I feel is acceptable and will be tolerated on TV.

My probably would be considered extreme views I keep under my hat.

On 6/16/2019 at 12:58 AM, Ulic said:

The mother should be charged with failing to provide the necessaries for life. My guess is they were trying to take advantage of the law not allowing children to be kept in jail with adults. Children are a get out of detention free card. Once in the USA disappear into the secondary economy. Mexican authorities give lectures to migrants on the dangers. Proper footwear, clothing, how much water to carry, and how to carry it. Smugglers, not so much care. RIP to the little girl, no sympathy for the mother.

What about father?why dontyou blame him,where is he?I think - in US already!

I remember another horrible story,which moved me - it happened in area,where I used to hike,when I was young (mountains,rugged terrain)- between Ukraina and Slovakia: one Chechen send his wife with their young two girls on trek across the border,it was november/december - cold rain,night;girls died of cold.Father? ....looked for new wife..Those people are desperate and reckless to the point of stupidity.

They have to be stopped!

Another story - everybody remember the photo of 3 years old boy  drowned on the beach in Greece island?That photo had moved

AngelaMerkel to tears!It had happened in october?Do you know how many more kids were drown on the same place by december same year?about 100(one hundred!).why are they doing it? - because they can...Dont blame smugglers....shut the borders!