Autopsy: Migrant child who died in US custody had infection

HOUSTON (AP) — An autopsy has found that a 7-year-old girl from Guatemala died of a bacterial infection while detained by the U.S. Border Patrol, in a case that drew worldwide attention to the plight of migrant families detained at the southern U.S. border.

The El Paso County Medical Examiner's office released a report today of its findings in the death of 7-year-old Jakelin Caal Maquin.

Jakelin died Dec. 8, just over a day after she was apprehended by Border Patrol agents with her father after entering the U.S. illegally. Jakelin was one of two children to die in Border Patrol custody in December, raising questions about the agency's ability to care for families.

The report says traces of streptococcus bacteria were found in Jakelin's lungs, adrenal gland, liver, and spleen. The autopsy says she faced a "rapidly progressive infection" that led to sepsis and the failure of multiple organs.

The medical examiner did not determine which form of streptococcus bacteria Jakelin contracted.

"It's a death that could have been preventable," said Dr. Colleen Kraft, a past president of the American Academy of Pediatrics who spoke to The Associated Press after reviewing the report.

Kraft said the type of infection Jakelin had would have likely caused initial symptoms that a medical professional would have caught, like an elevated heartbeat or respiratory rate.

"She should have been taken to the hospital right away," Kraft said, adding that "you had somebody who didn't know to look for those subtle signs that her little system was shutting down."