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Beatriz Aviles, 20, told a more complicated story about her travel from Mexico to Dallas, where she shares a large apartment with her boyfriend's extended family.

She met Cesar Chamu in Mexico more than two years ago, and he brought her to Dallas, where he had been doing landscape work since 2000. They paid a "coyote," or guide, $3,000 to get them across the Rio Grande by boat.

Although her advanced pregnancy made her unsteady on her feet, the young woman said she has tried to care for the two children who live in the large apartment and helped cook meals under the watchful eye of Mr. Chamu's mother and elderly aunt.

"Dallas is nice," [parasites find willing hosts "nice"] she said, although it was not clear how often Ms. Aviles was able to leave the apartment. She hasn't worked since she arrived in Texas in 2004.

Her pregnancy was uncomplicated but a bit frightening, she admitted. She was prone to waking her boyfriend in the middle of the night to complain about the kicking baby.

She ended up at Parkland because the couple had no health insurance and could not afford to go elsewhere. His landscaping job pays about $200 a week, just enough to cover basic living expenses and the couple's share of the $700-a-month rent.

Although they went to great lengths to sneak into Dallas, Ms. Aviles was born at Parkland in 1986, according to the birth certificate she recently obtained.

She is a U.S. citizen but could not prove it until she crossed the border from Mexico, where her mother had taken her shortly after her birth in the Dallas hospital. Her grandmother raised her.

On March 7, her daughter, Esmeralda, was born at Parkland after 10 hours of labor. The couple paid $100 toward the cost of the birth and was given a car seat for the ride home.

Their plans for the future include marriage, more babies and, hopefully, U.S. citizenship for Mr. Chamu, who wants to open his own landscaping business.

"My life is better here," Ms. Aviles said as she juggled the baby in her arms.

Parkland's obstetrics costs in 2004


Patients 18,351
Days hospitalized 55,964
Total cost $70,715,271
PAYMENTS
Medicaid $34,476,973
Dallas County taxes $31,339,519
Additional federal funds $9,514,523
Other revenue $2,086,130
Commercial insurance $823,608
Parkland employee health coverage $348,040
Self-pay $141,408
Tobacco funds $104,059
Medicare $90,444
Losses due to payment delays $235,217
Surplus funds $7,982,138
Hospital's total budget $802,106,000
County taxpayers' contribution $322,109,000

SOURCE: Parkland Health and Hospital System