Honduran Unaccompanied Migrant Teen Dies in US Custody

A 17-year-old Honduran unaccompanied migrant teen died after being found unconscious in a Florida shelter on May 10, according to a notification to U.S. lawmakers from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) refugee office.

The teen, Angel Eduardo Maradiaga Espinoza, had been placed by HHS on May 5 with Gulf Coast Jewish Family and Community Services in Safety Harbor, Florida, the notification said.

He was taken to a hospital and, after one hour of life-saving resuscitation attempts, was pronounced dead, it said. 

In a statement, HHS said it was “deeply saddened by this tragic loss” and that it was in touch with the teen’s family. The department said a medical examiner investigation is underway.

Eduardo Enrique Reina, the foreign minister of Honduras, expressed his condolences in a tweet on Thursday.

“The Government of Honduras, through the Embassy in Washington, is in contact with the family and has asked the ORR and HHS to carry out an exhaustive investigation of the case to clarify this and get full accountability if anybody is responsible,” he said.