SAFETY HARBOR, Fla. — An unaccompanied Honduran teen housed at a Florida shelter died Wednesday while under the care of the US Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Refugee Resettlement, according to a congressional notice obtained by CNN on Friday.
HHS is charged with the care of unaccompanied migrant children and places children in shelters nationwide. The 17-year-old was initially placed at Gulf Coast Jewish Family and Community Services in Safety Harbor, Florida, on May 5, the notice said.
The teen was taken to Mease Countryside Hospital in Safety Harbor Wednesday morning after being found unconscious. He was pronounced dead an hour later despite resuscitation attempts.
He entered the U.S. several weeks ago and died Wednesday, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter who was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
No cause of death was immediately available nor were circumstances of any illness or medical treatment.
The minor's parents and sponsor have been notified, according to the notice. An investigation by a medical examiner is underway and ORR said it will continue to receive more information on the death from the care provider.
In a statement, HHS said it was "deeply saddened by this tragic loss" and that it was in touch with the teen's family. A medical examiner investigation is underway, the department said.
Eduardo Enrique Reina, the foreign minister of Honduras, expressed his condolences in a tweet on Thursday.
"The Government of Honduras, through the Embassy in Washington, is in contact with the family and has asked the ORR and HHS to carry out an exhaustive investigation of the case to clarify this and get full accountability if anybody is responsible," he said.
The White House addressed the death Friday afternoon during a daily press briefing.
“It is sad news. It’s deeply saddening to hear, and we are certainly aware of the tragic loss. And our hearts go out to the family. Being a mother and celebrating Mother’s Day on Sunday, it is very devastating news," said White House Spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre.
"There is a medical investigation that was opened on May 10. I don’t want to get ahead of that. You got to let the investigation go through. Any specific questions, I’d have to refer you to HHS. I haven‘t actually spoken to the president about this, so I don’t have any information on if he’s been briefed on this. I can say there is a medical investigation that was opened on May 10.”
The asylum restrictions under Title 42 expired Thursday with President Joe Biden's administration announcing new curbs on border crossers that went into effect Friday. Tens of thousands of people tried to cross the U.S.-Mexico border in the weeks before the expiration of Title 42, under which U.S. officials expelled many people but allowed exemptions for others, including minors crossing the border unaccompanied by a parent.
This was the first known death of an immigrant child in custody during the Biden administration. At least six immigrant children died in U.S. custody during the administration of former President Donald Trump.
HHS operates long-term facilities to hold children who cross the border without a parent until they can be placed with a sponsor. HHS facilities generally have beds and facilities as well as schooling and other activities for minors, unlike Border Patrol stations and detention sites in which detainees sometimes sleep on the floor in cells.
Advocates who oppose the detention of immigrant children say HHS facilities are not suited to hold minors for weeks or months as sometimes happens.
HHS had 8,681 unaccompanied children in custody as of Wednesday. The number fluctuates daily and hit a high of more than 14,000 during the surge of unaccompanied children in 2021.
