Federal investigators are probing the May 17 death of an 8-year-old migrant girl who, according to initial reports, was not transferred to the hospital on the day of her death despite her mother's requests to a nurse practitioner and other medical contractors with Border Patrol, CBS News reported June 1.
Anadith Tanay Reyes Alvarez and her family had spent more than a week in Border Patrol custody in Texas when she died May 17. The girl had a history of sickle cell anemia and heart disease, and tested positive for the flu during the time her family was in Border Patrol custody. Her death is still being investigated by Customs and Border Protection, but officials released preliminary findings June 1, based on interviews they had with medical contractors.
According to the findings cited by CBS, the girl was seen by medical personnel nine separate times between May 14 and May 17, complaining of pain, flu symptoms and a fever that peaked at 104.9 on May 16. Medical contractors reported giving her Tamiflu, fever medication, ice packs and a cold shower. On the day of her death, she was seen by a nurse contractor four times and was reportedly given Zofran to prevent nausea.
"The nurse practitioner also reported denying three or four requests from the girl's mother for an ambulance to be called or for her to be taken to the hospital," and declined to review medical documents given to her, CPB investigators said in their preliminary findings.
Later that day, Border Patrol officials said the girl "appeared to be having a seizure." An ambulance was called and she was pronounced dead at a hospital. None of the medical staff interviewed as part of the ongoing review said they were aware of the girl's sickle cell anemia or heart condition. CPB said some of the medical contractors involved have since been prohibited from working with the agency.