Women, girl rescued by Border Patrol agents

By Angelica Martinez
Union-Tribune Staff Writer
1:34 p.m. July 14, 2009

BOULEVARD — Two women and a girl suffering from heat exhaustion were rescued by U.S. Border Patrol agents after smugglers abandoned them in the desert.

Agents spotted the group – a 36-year-old woman, her 12-year-old daughter and a 23-year-old companion – on the side of Interstate 8 in an area called Walker Canyon about 4:45 p.m. Monday.

The three, all Mexicans who illegally crossed the border, were crying and suffering from apparent heat exhaustion, agents said.

They were given water and driven to the Border Patrol station in Boulevard, where paramedics examined the group. They were then taken to a hospital for further evaluation. All three were later released back to U.S. Border Patrol custody and will probably be deported.

The mother told agents they crossed the border with a group but were left behind in the desert. The woman said the three had wandered alone for two days and eventually ran out of water before reaching the freeway.

Angelica Martinez: (619) 293-1317; angelica.martinez@uniontrib.com

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