Family sues US over 8-year-old's death in custody after crossing border

Anadith Danay Reyes Alvarez died in 2023 despite known medical conditions

Apr. 11, 2026 at 9:53pm

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A serene, cinematic painting of an empty border checkpoint station, with warm sunlight casting long shadows across the scene, conveying a melancholic mood about the human toll of immigration policies.The tragic death of a young migrant girl in U.S. custody casts a somber shadow over the nation's border policies and the human impact of immigration enforcement.Harlingen Today

The family of 8-year-old Anadith Danay Reyes Alvarez, who died in U.S. Customs and Border Protection custody in 2023 despite having chronic heart problems and sickle cell anemia, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the federal government. The lawsuit alleges medical neglect, as an internal CBP investigation found failures in providing proper care and that medical personnel did not review documents describing the girl's sensitive condition.

Why it matters

This case highlights ongoing concerns about the treatment of migrant children in U.S. custody, particularly those with known medical issues. It raises questions about the quality of medical care provided and whether proper protocols are in place to address the needs of vulnerable populations.

The details

Anadith Danay Reyes Alvarez, an 8-year-old Honduran girl, got sick with flu-like symptoms while detained for eight days in a CBP facility in Donna and later Harlingen, Texas. Despite having a high fever, nausea, breathing difficulties, and pain, she was not taken to a hospital until her body went limp in her mother's arms. An internal CBP investigation found failures in providing proper medical care and that medical personnel did not review documents describing the girl's sensitive condition.

  • Anadith Danay Reyes Alvarez died in U.S. custody in 2023.
  • The family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the U.S. government on April 10, 2026.

The players

Anadith Danay Reyes Alvarez

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

Mabel Alvarez Benedicks

The mother of Anadith Danay Reyes Alvarez, who has described her daughter's death in an emotional interview and said she visits a psychiatrist regularly and takes medication to help her sleep.

Rossel Reyes Martinez

The father of Anadith Danay Reyes Alvarez, who said their daughter's death was the realization of a parent's worst nightmare and that they are filing the lawsuit in her memory to ensure no other family has to endure the same pain.

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What they’re saying

“That is why we are filing this lawsuit today in her memory, to ensure that no family has to endure the same pain we have endured.”

— Rossel Reyes Martinez, Father of Anadith Danay Reyes Alvarez

“Anadith Danay Reyes Alvarez, who had chronic heart problems and sickle cell anemia, got sick with flu-like symptoms and died after being detained for eight days in a U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility in Donna, then later Harlingen, Texas.”

— Valerie Gonzalez, Author

What’s next

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has not yet responded to a request for comment on the lawsuit. The recent wrongful death lawsuit follows a tort claim made against the government last year which was denied in October.

The takeaway

This tragic case highlights the ongoing challenges in ensuring proper medical care and humane treatment for vulnerable migrant children in U.S. custody. It raises serious questions about protocol failures and the need for reforms to prevent similar heartbreaking outcomes in the future.