Breitbart Texas was riding along with Donna Independent School District Acting Police Chief Daniel Walden as part of on-going coverage of the crisis of illegal immigrants dying in the fields of ranches in Brooks County surrounding the town of Falfurrias. Walden serves as a non-paid sheriff’s deputy during his off-duty time and drives over 100 miles from his home in Hidalgo County to come help the Brooks County Sheriff’s Office. Walden observed the young woman walking eastbound along the shoulder of the road. It appeared her left leg was injured as she was walking with a stick she was using as a cane. She was carrying a bag with a small quantity of water and snacks.
The woman was carrying identification from Honduras. She is reported to be 20 years old. The young woman seemed relieved to have been discovered. Her clothes were covered with dirt and leaves.
Through an interpreter, she told Breitbart Texas she slept under a tree last night. When she awoke this morning, she was stunned to find out that her five travel companions had left her behind because of her leg injury. She was unable to keep up so they just left her to die.
She said she was headed to Houston and that she left her home in Honduras about one month ago.
“She is very lucky she found the road,” Chief Walden said. “Many people get lost in these fields and wander in circles until they surrender to the heat and lack of water. They usually then just lay down and die under a tree somewhere.”
“She was also lucky that we were the ones that found her walking along the roadway,” Walden continued. “A young, attractive woman like this would be a prime target for sex traffickers who prey in these parts on young girls like this.” Walden is an instructor in human trafficking training for law enforcement officers across the state of Texas.
“If one of the ‘pick-up’ vehicles had discovered her walking alone, she well could have been kidnapped and forced into prostitution,” Walden said. “This is one of the reasons our volunteer sheriff’s deputies are out here. We are fighting to save as many lives as we can while improving the law enforcement presence in this county.”
All of the non-paid deputies live outside Brooks County and drive long distances to volunteer their service to this community. Last Monday, Breitbart Texas met a volunteer who drove in from San Antonio to volunteer his time and deliver some equipment that had been donated by the San Antonio Police Department.
Shortly after the rescue, two Border Patrol agents arrived on the scene and took custody of the young woman. She was transported to the Border Patrol processing facility in Falfurrias.
Breitbart Texas was engaged in a ride-along with the police officers who volunteer their off-duty time to serve as non-paid deputies for the Brooks County Sheriff’s Office. Deputy Walden is a volunteer reserve deputy for Brooks County. In his regular job, he serves as acting police chief of the Donna Independent School District Police Department. He has organized the Border Brotherhood of Texas, a group of sworn police officers who are volunteering their time to help the distressed Brooks County Sheriff’s Office.
Bob Price is a staff writer and a member of the original Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.