Woman abandoned by smugglers dies in East County
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By Debbi Farr Baker
UNION-TRIBUNE BREAKING NEWS TEAM

12:46 p.m. August 22, 2007

SAN DIEGO – A woman suffering from dehydration and heat exposure who entered the country illegally died Monday afternoon after being left by a smuggler in rural East County.
The woman was unconscious and not breathing when she was found in the rugged mountains near Barrett Junction around 4 p.m., the Border Patrol said.

Two men who stayed with the woman told agents they had been hiking with a smuggler in a group of six for some 30 hours when they decided they could not keep up, said Border Patrol Agent Matt Johnson.

The men hiked to a cafe in Barret Junction and called authorities.

A Border Patrol agent performed CPR on the woman until paramedics arrived, but they were unable to revive her and she was pronounced dead at the scene.

The woman's companions were both citizens of Mexico in the country illegally and are being detained, Johnson said.

Johnson said it is common for smugglers to leave people behind when they become overcome by high temperatures in rugged areas.

Later on Monday, a second illegal immigrant died in a single-vehicle rollover crash in the Campo area.

The crash on La Posta Road near La Posta Trucktrail and Old Highway 80 was reported about 5:45 p.m., the Border Patrol said. One man was killed and six were injured. Initial reports indicated that four people were injured.

A woman from Guatemala suffered a broken neck, and the others, who were all Mexican citizens, suffered various injuries including a broken arm and a broken back. None of the seven people riding in the 1992 Toyota Camry were wearing seat belts.

The car's driver and a passenger were arrested on alien smuggling charges, the Border Patrol said.

The identities of the two dead people have not yet been released by the county Medical Examiner's office, pending notification of family members.



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Debbi Baker: (619) 293-1710; debbi.baker@uniontrib.com

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