SANTA TERESA, NM – On Tuesday evening, a Santa Teresa agent utilizing camera technology observed a smuggler dropping two young children from the top of the approximately 14-foot-high border barrier. Immediately after both children landed on the ground, two smugglers immediately fled the area and abandoned the helpless little girls on the north side of the international boundary line.
“Smugglers, under cover of night, scaled a 14 ft. border barrier and cruelly dropped 2 young children in the middle of the New Mexico desert. The girls, ages 3 & 5, were left miles from the nearest residence. Thank you STN Agents for rescuing these children,” USBP Chief Gloria Chavez.
The camera operator alerted Santa Teresa agents and directed them to the remote location of the incident. Responding agents found the three-year-old and five-year-old Ecuadoran children and rendered aid to them. The two toddlers are sisters and both were alert when agents made contact with them.
The minor children were transported to the Santa Teresa Border Patrol Station for evaluation by medical personnel. Agents contacted Emergency Medical Services and the toddlers were transported to a local hospital for precautionary reasons and further evaluation. The two girls were medically cleared and currently remain in Border Patrol temporary holding pending placement by Health and Human Services.