Thread: Toddler Swept Away While Crossing Rio Grande River

http://www.ksat.com/news/4245744/detail.html

Toddler Swept Away While Crossing Rio Grande River
Boy Was Among Group Of Hondurans Trying To Enter U.S.

POSTED: 8:44 am CST March 2, 2005
UPDATED: 10:30 am CST March 2, 2005

EAGLE PASS, Texas -- U.S. and Mexican authorities searched Tuesday for an 18-month-old boy who fell into the Rio Grande River near Eagle Pass as he and five other people, including his mother, were trying to enter through the border city.

U.S. Border Patrol officials in Eagle Pass told KSAT 12 News that agents heard a scream from a woman in a cane field about a child.

An air boat searches the Rio Grande River near Eagle Pass for a missing Honduran boy believed to have drowned.

Border Patrol officials said one of the men in the group who was holding on to the child while they crossed the river released his grip "because the current was so swift."

"If you can't get to them in a couple of minutes, and they're not hanging on to something, there's not much you can do except to try and find them," said John Borham, who conducted a search by air boat.

A 3-year-old girl and the boy's mother were also in the group, which is believed to have been dropped off by human smugglers on the river banks.

Border Patrol officials said the Eagle Pass area has seen a 300 percent increase in illegal immigrants, most of them Central Americans, converging in the area in recent years.

Since there is no detention facility and immigrants are often released on their own recognizance, many immigrants see Eagle Pass as a prime area for crossing into the United States, Border Patrol officials said.

http://www.ksat.com/news/4245744/detail.html

Toddler Swept Away While Crossing Rio Grande River
Boy Was Among Group Of Hondurans Trying To Enter U.S.

POSTED: 8:44 am CST March 2, 2005
UPDATED: 10:30 am CST March 2, 2005

EAGLE PASS, Texas -- U.S. and Mexican authorities searched Tuesday for an 18-month-old boy who fell into the Rio Grande River near Eagle Pass as he and five other people, including his mother, were trying to enter through the border city.

U.S. Border Patrol officials in Eagle Pass told KSAT 12 News that agents heard a scream from a woman in a cane field about a child.

An air boat searches the Rio Grande River near Eagle Pass for a missing Honduran boy believed to have drowned.

Border Patrol officials said one of the men in the group who was holding on to the child while they crossed the river released his grip "because the current was so swift."

"If you can't get to them in a couple of minutes, and they're not hanging on to something, there's not much you can do except to try and find them," said John Borham, who conducted a search by air boat.

A 3-year-old girl and the boy's mother were also in the group, which is believed to have been dropped off by human smugglers on the river banks.

Border Patrol officials said the Eagle Pass area has seen a 300 percent increase in illegal immigrants, most of them Central Americans, converging in the area in recent years.

Since there is no detention facility and immigrants are often released on their own recognizance, many immigrants see Eagle Pass as a prime area for crossing into the United States, Border Patrol officials said.

Guess the family didn't read one of those guides provided by the Mexican government on how to cross the border safely.

Pity the poor child ... victim of circumstances chosen by her parents.

Wanna bet this won't deter them from re-entering if they already haven't?

Guess the family didn't read one of those guides provided by the Mexican government on how to cross the border safely.

Pity the poor child ... victim of circumstances chosen by her parents.

Wanna bet this won't deter them from re-entering if they already haven't?

There so many ways to go with the comment for this but I'll just say the parents paid one helluva large price and their son paid an even bigger one for their mistake.

There so many ways to go with the comment for this but I'll just say the parents paid one helluva large price and their son paid an even bigger one for their mistake.

"Pity the poor child ... victim of circumstances chosen by her parents"

I don't think the parents actually CHOOSE to be born into a life of poverty, disease and sickness. I also feel, the parents of this unfortunate child must have been very desperate to choose the route they did to cross.

Do I think illegal immigration is okay? No. Do I think the solution is to treat people with disrespect and lack of dignity?

There but for the Grace of God(or what higher power you believe in)go you.

Peace and understanding.

V