A Honduran family has filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit against the United States government following the tragic death of their 8-year-old daughter while in border patrol custody last year in Texas.
Anadith Danay Reyes Alvarez, who suffered from ongoing heart complications and sickle cell anemia, became ill with flu-like symptoms and died following an eight-day detention at U.S. Customs and Border Protection facilities in Donna and later Harlingen, Texas.
According to an internal CBP review, officials failed to provide adequate medical attention and did not examine documentation the child’s mother provided detailing her daughter’s serious health conditions. While in detention, Anadith developed a dangerous fever reaching 104.9 degrees Fahrenheit, along with nausea, difficulty breathing and severe pain.
The young girl was not transported to a hospital despite her mother’s repeated requests for help, and only received emergency medical attention when she collapsed in her mother’s embrace. Mabel Alvarez Benedicks shared details about her daughter’s tragic death during a heartbreaking interview with The Associated Press following the incident.
The Department of Homeland Security has not yet provided a response regarding the litigation.
This wrongful death case comes after officials rejected a tort claim the family filed against the government last year in October. While the current lawsuit seeks compensation for the family’s suffering, it does not specify a particular dollar amount.
The child’s mother now requires regular psychiatric care and sleep medication to cope with her loss. Rossel Reyes Martinez, Anadith’s father, described losing their daughter as every parent’s most terrifying fear coming true.
“That is why we are filing this lawsuit today in her memory, to ensure that no family has to endure the same pain we have endured,” her father said Thursday.
