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U.S. NEWS Monday 17 deceMber 2018
Family of migrant girl disputes

official story on her death

By The Associated Press
The family of a 7-year-old
Guatemalan girl who died
in U.S. Border Patrol custo-
dy is disputing an account
from U.S. officials who said
she had not been given
food or water for days.
In a statement released
by lawyers, the parents of
Jakelin Caal said the girl
had been given food and
water and appeared to be
in good health as she trav-
eled through Mexico with
her father, 29-year-old Nery
Gilberto Caal Cuz. The
family added that Jake-
lin had not been traveling
through the desert for days
before she was taken into
custody.
Tekandi Paniagua, the
Guatemalan consul in Del This Jan. 7, 2017 photo, shows
Rio, Texas, told The Associ- the Antelope Wells port of en-
try from the El Berrendo, Mex-
ated Press that he spoke ico, side of the border with
with the Jakelin's father. southern New Mexico.
The consul said Nery Caal Associated Press
told him the group they
were traveling with was signed a form indicating
dropped off in Mexico she was in good health.
about a 90-minute walk But the family took issue
from the border. with that form, which was in
Border Patrol officials did English, a language her fa-
not immediately respond ther doesn't speak or read.
to the family's comments. He communicated with
The family's statement was border agents in Spanish
released Saturday during a but he primarily speaks the
news conference in El Paso, Mayan Q'eqchi' language.
Texas, at an immigrant shel- "It is unacceptable for any
ter where Jakelin's father is government agency to
staying. Her family did not have persons in custody
attend and has asked for sign documents in a lan-
privacy. guage that they clearly do
Jakelin and her father were not understand," the state-
seeking asylum in the U.S. ment said.
and were among a large Jakelin's family is urging
group of migrants arrested authorities to conduct an
Dec. 6 near a remote bor- "objective and thorough"
der crossing in New Mexi- investigation into the death
co. and to determine whether
Hours later they were officials met standards for
placed on a bus to the the arrest and custody of
nearest Border Patrol sta- children.
tion, but Jakelin began A cause of death has not
vomiting and eventually yet been released. A pri-
stopped breathing. vate prayer service was
She later died at a Texas held in Texas on Friday so
hospital. her father could see Jake-
Border Patrol officials on lin's body before it is taken
Friday said agents did ev- to Guatemala, said Ruben
erything they could to save Garcia, director of the An-
the girl but that she had not nunciation House shelter
had food or water for days. where her father is staying.
They added that an initial "All of us were moved by
screening showed no evi- the depth of his faith and
dence of health problems, his trust that God's hand is
and that her father had in all of this," Garcia said.q