Migrant Boy Collapses from Heat After Arizona Border Crossing

Yuma Sector Border Patrol agents saved the life of an 11-year-old boy after he collapsed in the desert on the morning of May 11. The boy was with a group of five migrants who illegally crossed the border near the Tinajas Atlas Mountains southeast of Yuma, Arizona.

Welton Border Patrol Station agents came across a group of five migrants approximately 35 miles east of Yuma on the morning of May 11 according to information obtained from Yuma Sector Border Patrol officials. The group consisted of two adult females and their three children, ages three, six, and 11.

While conducting interviews and wellness checks with the migrant group, the 11-year-old boy collapsed and lost consciousness, officials stated. The agents determined the boy was suffering heat-related illness and contacted EMS for assistance. The agents transported the boy to a rally point to meet up with the Tri-Valley ambulance.

The ambulance transported the distressed boy and the other members of the group to the Yuma Regional Medical Center for treatment and evaluation, officials said.

“As temperatures begin to soar, agents are encountering an increase of migrants in distress in the desert,” Yuma Sector Border Patrol officials said in a written statement. “They are often lost and disoriented and don’t have enough food or water with them. So far this month, agents have responded to 21 migrant calls to 911 for help.”

Officials did not disclose the nationality of the migrants or if they were returned to Mexico under Title 42 coronavirus protection protocols put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.