Family Sues CBP After 8-Year-Old's Death in Custody

Lawsuit alleges failures in medical care and oversight led to child's death in South Texas border detention.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 3:07pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a medical device or piece of medical equipment related to Anadith's care, lit by a harsh, direct camera flash against a pitch-black background, creating a stark, gritty, investigative aesthetic that conceptually illustrates the failures in her medical treatment.The family's lawsuit seeks accountability for failures in medical care that led to the tragic death of an 8-year-old girl in CBP custody.San Diego Today

The family of an 8-year-old girl who died in U.S. Customs and Border Protection custody in 2023 has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit, accusing the government of ignoring clear medical red flags until it was too late. The complaint alleges CBP officers and contracted medical staff failed to get young Anadith Danay Reyes Álvarez to a hospital during an eight-day detention after the family crossed the border, despite the child's chronic health issues.

Why it matters

This case highlights ongoing concerns about medical care and oversight in CBP detention facilities, which have faced scrutiny for chronic understaffing, prolonged detentions, and weak oversight of contractor-provided medical services. The lawsuit could force the government to answer, under oath, how and why Anadith's care went wrong and whether reforms have been implemented to prevent similar tragedies.

The details

According to the lawsuit, Anadith, who had chronic heart problems and sickle cell anemia, developed flu-like symptoms while in custody, including a fever of 104.9°F, nausea, and trouble breathing. Her mother, Mabel Alvarez Benedicks, repeatedly begged staff to transfer her daughter to a hospital and showed documents detailing the child's medical history, but staff did not move Anadith to a hospital before she became unresponsive. An internal CBP review later found serious failures in the agency's medical response, including that medical personnel did not review the records Anadith's mother tried to provide.

  • Anadith died on May 17, 2023 while in CBP custody.
  • The family filed the wrongful-death lawsuit on April 10, 2026.
  • A U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee investigation was released in January 2026.

The players

Anadith Danay Reyes Álvarez

An 8-year-old girl who died in U.S. Customs and Border Protection custody in 2023, having chronic heart problems and sickle cell anemia.

Mabel Alvarez Benedicks

The mother of Anadith, who repeatedly begged CBP staff to transfer her daughter to a hospital and showed them documents detailing the child's medical history.

Rossel Reyes Martinez

The father of Anadith, who said the lawsuit is being filed 'to ensure that no family has to endure the same pain we have endured.'

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

The government agency that was responsible for Anadith's care and custody, which an internal review found had serious failures in its medical response.

U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee

The committee that released a report in January 2026 concluding that Anadith's death 'was not aberrant but consistent with other examples of poor care in CBP custody.'

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What they’re saying

“The lawsuit is being filed 'to ensure that no family has to endure the same pain we have endured'”

— Rossel Reyes Martinez, Anadith's father

What’s next

The lawsuit was filed on April 10, 2026, and upcoming procedural deadlines, federal responses, and any discovery disputes will shape how quickly more information becomes public.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing issues with medical care and oversight in CBP detention facilities, which have faced longstanding criticism over understaffing, prolonged detentions, and weak oversight of contractor-provided medical services. The lawsuit could force the government to address these systemic problems and be held accountable for Anadith's tragic death.