In a joint news conference Thursday, officials provided more information about the tragic scene that unfolded Sunday afternoon in Laredo.
LAREDO, Texas — A 14-year-old was among six people found dead in a rail boxcar in Laredo Sunday afternoon, officials said in a joint news conference Thursday.
During the conference, officials, including the mayor of Laredo and chief of Laredo police, provided more information about the tragic scene that unfolded in the city Sunday afternoon.
In total, six bodies were found inside the rail box car in the 12101 block of Jim Young Way near Mile Marker 13, according to KGNS. Among them was a 14-year-old, according to Mayor Victor Treviño. The identities or other ages have not been revealed at this point.
Based on preliminary medical reports, officials believe the victims died several hours before arriving in Laredo from “severe heat stroke,” eventually being discovered in the city.
Authorities are continuing to investigate in hopes of identifying the victims.
“My heart goes out to the families and victims,” Mayor Treviño said. “[…] We are demanding justice for these lives lost. It doesn’t matter where they came from. Those responsible for trafficking and placing human beings in such dangerous and inhuman conditions must be held accountable.”
Laredo PD Chief Miguel A. Rodriguez, Jr. says the investigation is still very active but provided a timeline of events:
- Thursday May 7: The train departed from Long Beach, Calif.
- Saturday May 9: The train arrived in Del Rio, TX, where officials believe the people were loaded into the boxcar. From there they departed Del Rio.
- Sunday May 10: The train traveled through the San Antonio and Von Ormy areas in Bexar County before arriving in Laredo at 3:21 p.m., when police received an emergency call. When they responded, they found the bodies, immediately initiating an investigation. After they realized it was a human smuggling operation, they contacted HSI. They knew it was a multi-jurisdictional investigation.
Rodriguez said investigators have not confirmed whether the body found in San Antonio is connected to the bodies found in Laredo. Rodriguez said certain things have to be vetted and confirmed through investigation before they can confirm that body is connected in any way.