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After the fifth migrant child died after spending time in U.S. custody, I wanted to write a thread challenging one of administration's key narratives: That it's the journey through Mexico endangering these kids.
Here's evidence that these children's deaths were preventable: 1/9
Here's evidence that these children's deaths were preventable: 1/9
When 7-y/o Jakelin Amei Rosmery Caal Maquin, the 1st child to die in custody, was apprehended by CBP, agents had her father sign an English-language form saying she was okay. She was held in a detention facility for hours, and then transferred by bus to another det facility 2/9
Jakelin lost consciousness on the bus. Only upon arriving at the second detention facility did she receive emergency med care. Pediatricians say that kids' symptoms can be tricky to catch. It's possible that if CBP had noticed vital signs earlier, Jakelin could've be saved 3/9
The next child to die in government custody, Felipe Gómez Alonzo, spent *over a week* in CBP custody (in violation of the law which limits CBP detention to 72 hours). 3 days after being apprehended (& after being moved to another detention center), he was sent to the hospital 4/9
At the hospital, the 8-year-old Gómez was diagnosed with fever and chills, and prescribed amoxicillin and Ibuprofen. He was observed for 90-minutes, then released back to CBP custody. That evening, he was returned to the hospital vomiting, where he died hours later 5/9
The third child to die in gov't custody, Juan de León Gutierrez, a 16-year-old Guatemalan, had already been transferred out of CBP custody to @HHSGov custody before he was a first sent to the hospital. He would later die from a brain infection 6/9
The fourth child to die was an unnamed 2-year-old. That 2-year-old boy and his mother had been in CBP custody for *three day* before he was sent to the hospital with pneumonia symptoms. CBP "released" him while he was in the hospital; he died weeks later, last Tuesday. 7/9
Very few details have been released about the fifth child, another 16-y/o Guatemalan, who died in CBP custody today. Here's what we do know: He was detained in a CBP field station *for 7 days,* before he was found dead today. He crossed near Reynosa, a heavily populated area 8/9
What do all these stories have in common? These kids had been in CBP custody for a considerable amount of time before CBP even *noticed* they were sick or began providing medial care. We must question any narrative that holds that CBP didn't have a chance to save their lives 9/9
Update: The 16 y/o who died today had told CBP staff last night that he wasn't feeling well, and was diagnosed with a flu. He had already been in CBP custody for 6 days at that time. He was dead by the morning.
