CBP Removes Chief Medical Officer After Death of 8-Year-Old Migrant in Custody

The top medical official at U.S. Customs and Border Protection has been removed from his role amid an investigation into the death of an 8-year-old girl who spent four days in a medical isolation unit without seeing a doctor despite worsening symptoms.
Anadith Tanay Reyes Álvarez died on May 17 after spending four days in a Border Patrol medical isolation unit where she was not seen by a doctor despite worsening flu symptoms and a history of sickle cell anemia and heart problems.
Homeland Security investigators have been looking into claims the contract medical staff at the facility failed to review Reyes’ medical files, and she was not provided more advanced care even after her fever reached 104.9 degrees Fahrenheit.
Reyes will be laid to rest on Saturday in New York City.
CBP is bringing in additional senior leadership to drive action across the agency to implement required improvements to their medical care policies and processes.