HIDALGO, Texas ̶̶ Border Patrol agents rescued a 2-year-old that was left behind by smugglers Tuesday morning after the agents captured footage of the child wandering alone in the brush near a group of undocumented immigrants.
The toddler was taken into custody along with a group of 13 illegal immigrants near Hidalgo, Texas. At the time of apprehension, immigrants in the group told Weslaco agents the child was smuggled into the United States by himself and left along a river road by the smuggler. When the group encountered the toddler wandering alone by the river, one of the adults decided to care for him.
Once at the station, an agent found a Honduran immunization record on the child along with a piece of paper containing names and phone numbers. The names and numbers identified the child’s mother and father. Contact was made with the child’s mother and the child was processed accordingly. The child appeared to be healthy and unharmed.
The Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol Sector is part of the Joint Task Force-West South Texas Corridor, which leverages federal, state and local resources to combat transnational criminal organizations. Please visit www.cbp.gov to view additional news releases and other information pertaining to Customs and Border Protection.