A migrant child died while in the care of the Department of Health and Human Service (HHS), the agency said in a statement Friday.
The Honduran government identified the child as 17-year-old Ángel Eduardo Maradiaga Espinoza of Honduras, saying he died in a Florida shelter. Between October 2022 and March, Border Patrol agents stationed along the southern border recorded more than 67,000 encounters of unaccompanied migrant children, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). (RELATED: Border Patrol Migrant Processing Centers Filled After Trump-Era Policy’s End)
1/1 El Gobierno de la Presidenta @XiomaraCastroZ lamenta y presenta sus condolencias por el fallecimiento del menor hondureño Ángel Eduardo Maradiaga Espinoza de 17 años de edad, ocurrido en un albergue ubicado en Safety Harbor, Florida, EEUU.
— Enrique Reina (@EnriqueReinaHN) May 12, 2023
“The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is deeply saddened by this tragic loss and our heart goes out to the family, with whom we are in touch,” HHS said.
“As is standard practice in any situation involving the death of a unaccompanied child or a serious health outcome, HHS’ Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) Division of Health for Unaccompanied Children (DHUC) is reviewing all clinical details of this case, including all inpatient health care records. A medical examiner investigation is underway. Due to privacy and safety reasons, ORR cannot share further information on individual cases of children who have been in our care,” HHS said.
In March, a 4-year-old Honduran child also died in HHS care after suffering from a cardiac arrest, according to CBS News.
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