Arizona Border Patrol Agent Saves 2 Babies Abandoned by Smugglers in Desert

A Border Patrol agent saved two babies who were left to die by human smugglers in the Arizona desert on Thursday.

According to Associated Press, a 4-month-old infant and an 18-month-old toddler were left by smugglers in western Arizona's Organ Pipe Cactus National monument.

"Yesterday smugglers left two young children - an infant and a toddler - in the Sonoran Desert to die... This is not just another example of smugglers exploiting migrants for money. This is cruelty," Tucson Border Patrol Chief John Modlin said in a statement.

ABC News reported that the agent found the toddler crying while the baby was discovered face down and unresponsive. According to New York Post, the unnamed Border Patrol agent provided both babies with first aid and revived the younger one.

The trio then waited for assistance from the Border Patrol and National Park Service Emergency Medical Technicians. CBP noted that the EMTs transferred the babies to the Abrazo West Hospital in Goodyear, Arizona.

The babies were discharged back to CBP's custody after receiving treatment. Authorities did not release the identities of the children or their nationality.

Babies Discovered in Arizona Desert After Arrest of Group of Border Crossers

The discovery of the babies in the Arizona desert happened after Border Patrol agents arrested a group of border crossers Thursday in the west of Lukeville, Arizona.

A migrant among the group was the one who alerted the agent about the two children's condition and location. It was still unclear whether the smugglers who left the babies in the desert were among those arrested.

The Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, where the babies were found, stretches along the Mexican border in southwestern Arizona. The area is known for its harsh landscape, but it was a favored crossing area for several smugglers.

According to reports, human remains of suspected border crossers are often found in this area. Tucson Border Patrol reported a 12% increase in unaccompanied children being smuggled across the border over the past fiscal year.

Other Unaccompanied Migrants Rescued by Border Patrol Agents

Arizona is not the only state who witnessed migrant children left to die by smugglers along the borders. In March, Border Patrol agents from Texas rescued a four-year-old child that smugglers also left on the riverbanks.

Chief Border Patrol Agent Jason Owens noted that the child was escorted by a smuggler across the river and then left her on the riverbanks.

He also said the child's parents were not around when they discovered her. Owens added that the child was safe after rescuing her, but he did not provide any details about the child, including her nationality.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Joshua Summers

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