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Guatemala village mourns 2nd child to die in US custody

Guatemala village mourns 2nd child to die in US custody
6 years 4 months 2 weeks ago Sunday, December 30 2018 Dec 30, 2018 December 30, 2018 11:03 PM December 30, 2018 in News - AP Texas Headlines

By SONIA PEREZ D.
Associated Press

YALAMBOJOCH, Guatemala (AP) - White flowers and flickering candles sit atop a low table inside the simple wooden home in a remote Guatemala village. Nearby is a small pair of rubber boots, sized to fit an 8-year-old.

Taped to the wall are three photos, alternately smiling and serious, bearing a simple epitaph for the boy whose memory the makeshift altar honors: "Felipe Gomez Alonzo. Died Dec. 24 2018 in New Mexico, United States."

On Christmas Eve, Felipe became the second Guatemalan child this month to die while in U.S. custody near the Mexican border.

The deaths have prompted widespread criticism of President Donald Trump, who has foisted blame on Democrats even as his homeland security secretary vowed additional health screenings for detained migrant children.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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