Guatemalan boy who died in custody had flu

The 8-year-old Guatemalan boy who died in Customs and Border Protection custody this month tested positive for influenza, a highly contagious respiratory virus that physicians warn could spread easily in jails and other crowded facilities.

The New Mexico medical examiner’s office said this week that Felipe Gomez Alonzo, who was the second child to die in federal custody this month, tested positive for influenza B, but officials said the cause of death is still pending additional testing.

“We appreciate the public’s understanding that this investigation must not be rushed to ensure thorough observations and accurate conclusions about how this child died,” the medical examiner’s office said. “We extend our condolences to his family and loved ones.”

A cause has not yet been determined in the death of 7-year-old Jakelin Caal earlier this month.

The test results for Felipe come amid mounting questions surrounding his care, and rising calls for the Department of Homeland Security to stop detaining immigrant children in facilities where disease can spread.

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman said they released Felipe’s father, 47year-old Agustin Gomez Perez on his own recognizance Thursday, after his impoverished family in Guatemala begged for his release so he could work and send money home. On Friday, the family urged officials to return Felipe’s remains so they can bury him.

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen has ordered investigations of the deaths and additional health screenings of children, and asked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to examine why more migrants appear to be getting sick.

Nielsen on Friday visited El Paso, where an 8-year-old Guatemalan boy was detained with his father before dying in government custody .

DHS spokeswoman Katie Waldman said earlier in the week that Nielsen was scheduled to tour multiple stations and substations, and was also scheduled to meet with emergency medical technicians and medical professionals, as well as local officials.

Colleen Kraft, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said the flu could easily spread in the crowded, air-conditioned facilities where migrants are often detained, and urged federal officials to release the children.