Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Guatemalan Girl Who Died In U.S. Custody Would Have Been Visibly Sick For Hours, Doctors Say
The New York Times: Migrant Girl’s Autopsy Shows She Would Have Been Visibly Sick For Hours, Doctors Say
A 7-year-old Guatemalan girl who died in United States custody last December was suffering from a bacterial infection that was so advanced she probably would have been visibly sick for many hours, said several physicians who reviewed a newly released autopsy report of her death. By the time the girl, Jakelin Caal Maquin, arrived at a children’s hospital in El Paso with seizures and difficulty breathing, she already had severe blood abnormalities, according to a part of the report that summarized her condition in the emergency room of the Children’s Hospital at the Hospitals of Providence Memorial Campus. (Fink, 3/29)
Reuters: Guatemalan Migrant Girl In U.S. Custody Died Of Sepsis: Autopsy Report
The release of Caal's autopsy and the pinpointing of her cause of death are unlikely to resolve the larger questions about how migrants are treated in the hands of authorities. "The clinical course and autopsy findings are those of a rapidly progressive infection, with prompt systemic bacterial spread and substantial clinical deterioration," the report said. The strep bacteria were found throughout Caal's major organs, including her lungs, adrenal gland, liver, and spleen, the report said. (3/29)
The Associated Press Fact Check: Trump Twists Facts Of A Migrant Girl's Death
President Donald Trump is misrepresenting the circumstances of a 7-year-old migrant girl's death as he seeks to steer any potential blame for it away from his administration. Trump, after mockingly painting asylum seekers as a "con job" in a rally the previous night, asserted on Friday that Jakelin Caal Maquin was given no water by her father during their trek to a remote border area and that the dad acknowledged blame for his daughter's death on Dec. 8. Those assertions are not supported by the record. (3/29)
Meanwhile —
The Associated Press: 24 Immigrants Go On Hunger Strike To Protest US Detainment
Two dozen immigrants detained in Louisiana are on a hunger strike to protest being locked up as many seek asylum in the United States. Immigrant advocates say the strike started last week with about 150 people, but U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says only 24 people have continuously denied meals. (Galvan, 3/29)
