By NOMAAN MERCHANT
Associated Press

HOUSTON (AP) - The widow of a Honduran man who died took his own life after being separated from his 3-year-old child has sued the U.S. government and the South Texas county that jailed him when he died.

The Texas Civil Rights Project on Monday announced the lawsuit on behalf of the widow of Marco Antonio Muñoz, who died in May.

Muñoz was found unresponsive on May 13, 2018, in a jail cell in Starr County in South Texas.

His death occurred during enforcement of President Donald Trump's zero-tolerance policy that resulted in thousands of family separations.

The lawsuit claims Muñoz "yelled and screamed in desperation" when he was taken away. It says U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Starr County should have known he was a danger to himself.

CBP declined to comment. Starr County did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.