US says 2nd Guatemalan child has died in immigration custody

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AP El Paso
Last Updated : Dec 26 2018 | 1:05 AM IST

An 8-year-old boy from Guatemala died in government custody early Tuesday, US immigration authorities said, marking the second death of an immigrant child in detention this month.

US Customs and Border Protection said in a news release that the boy died shortly after midnight Tuesday.

The boy showed "signs of potential illness" Monday and was taken with his father to a hospital in Alamogordo, New Mexico, the agency said.

There, he was diagnosed with a cold and a fever, was given prescriptions for amoxicillin and Ibuprofen and released Monday afternoon after being held 90 minutes for observation, the agency said.

The boy was returned to the hospital Monday evening with nausea and vomiting and died there just hours later, CBP said.

The agency said the cause of the boy's death has not been determined and that it has notified the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general and the Guatemalan government.

CBP promised "an independent and thorough review of the circumstances."

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First Published: Dec 26 2018 | 1:05 AM IST

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