EDINBURG, Texas – Yesterday, McAllen agents rescued a three year old separated from her mother by smugglers and abandoned in the river.
In the early afternoon hours, the McAllen Station received information from Hidalgo Port of Entry regarding possible illegal aliens underneath the bridge. As agents responded, they encountered a female claiming that her three-year-old daughter was missing. She stated that the guide/smuggler crossed her into the US alone. Then, as the smuggler attempted to cross her daughter, she observed them both drifting down river as she lost sight of them. She could not see if they had returned to Mexico or if her child drifted away by herself.
Harlingen Border Patrol Station riverine units and a National Guard helicopter deployed to the area in search of the child. Agents located the child walking on the river road and immediately checked the child for injuries before reuniting her with the mother. The child was unharmed and not in need of medical assistance.
From October 1, 2107, to June 30, 2018, the Rio Grande Valley Sector has rescued 1157 people, an increase of 53% when compared to last year.
