An 8-year-old girl died in the custody of U.S. Border Patrol on Wednesday, according to officials, as the agency deals with overcrowding in facilities near the southern border.
The girl and her family were in custody at Harlingen Station in Harlingen, Texas, when she experienced a “medical emergency” Wednesday, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said in a statement. First responders were called to the scene and transported the girl to a local hospital, where she later died.
The agency did not provide any more information about the girl or the medical issue that led to her death.
CBP said it was conducting an investigation, with the Department of Homeland Security and Harlingen Police Department also notified.
Border agents this year have dealt with a high number of border crossings and overcrowding in processing and detention facilities, though the suspected surge following the May 11 expiration of Title 42 — which allowed the government to expel migrants claiming asylum — has not materialized.
Border encounters were down by more than 50 percent in recent days, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Ahead of the lifting of Title 42, border encounters were around 10,000 individuals per day, and they have dropped to around 4,400 people each day since May 11.