An immigration lawyer tweeted that a child allegedly died in a Texas Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility, but officials said those claims were false Wednesday.
“There are reports that a child died in ICE custody in Dilley, Texas,” Houston immigration lawyer Mana Yegani tweeted Tuesday, according to Heavy. “Getting more information as the story develops. It’s unclear where the parent(s) of the child is. Some reports indicate that they maybe in New Jersey while child was in Texas.”
Yegani updated the tweet a few hours later and claimed the child died.
“Update: The child died following her stay at an ICE Detention Center, as a result of possible negligent care and a respiratory illness she contracted from one of the other children. The events took place in Dilley Family Detention Center in south Texas,” the second tweet said.
ICE said the claims were false on Wednesday through Twitter. (RELATED: Illegal Immigrant Separated From Child With Down Syndrome, Detained As Smuggling Witness)
“Please note that the person who originally tweeted that later posted an update that retracted the original accusation,” ICE said to The Daily Caller News Foundation in an email Wednesday. “The updated accusation leaves little to no info that allows us to research.”
Yegani posted Wednesday that she was informed about the death through attorney Melissa Lynn, a friend of the victim’s family. Yegani also said that she was not in direct contact with the family.
“Last night a lawyer in Wash DC, posted on FB, seeking recommendations for a lawyer to represent a family whose child died AFTER her stay at Dilley Detention Cntr in TX,” Yegani tweeted. “I made the news public.I am in touch with Melissa-the lawyer, but have no confirmation from the victim’s family.”
ICE is currently looking into the reports of the death after custody, but is unable to provide further information at the time until they have the specifics.
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