Two Haitian Children Die in Mexican Migrant Custody

ByDes Informémonos

This article originally appeared in the February 25, 2026 edition of Des Informémonos.

Two Haitian girls died inside the “Casa Pato” Migrant Transit Assistance Center, operated by the Oaxaca State DIF in San Raymundo Jalpan, after falling into a septic tank that, according to preliminary reports, was without a protective cover.

According to authorities, the girls were temporarily staying with their mother at the migrant shelter, where they were reported missing and their bodies were later found in the building’s septic tank.

“The loss of their lives in institutional custody cannot be reduced to a preliminary version or an isolated event: it must be investigated with due diligence, a child perspective, a human mobility approach and human rights, exhausting all lines of responsibility, including omissions and structural failures,” the organization Consorcio Oaxaca stated.

The feminist organization demanded punishment for those responsible “both by action and by negligence” and reiterated that the State has the obligation to protect children and migrants under its care.

Finally, Consorcio Oaxaca also reiterated the urgent need to guarantee effective measures to prevent recurrence, including a thorough review of security conditions in institutional shelters, as well as the implementation of independent oversight, clear protection protocols, and accountability mechanisms.

The deaths of the two minors occurred weeks after workers from the same institution reported psychological abuse and labor exploitation against children under the custody of the DIF (National System for Integral Family Development).

The full statement follows:

We demand justice for the deaths of the two Haitian girls inside the “Casa Pato” Migrant Transit Center, operated by the Oaxaca State DIF (System for Integral Family Development) in San Raymundo Jalpan. Their deaths while in institutional custody cannot be dismissed as a preliminary report or an isolated incident: it must be investigated with due diligence, a child-centered perspective, a human mobility approach, and a human rights perspective, exhausting all lines of responsibility, including omissions and structural failures.

We demand punishment for those responsible, whether through action or negligence. The State has a heightened obligation to protect children and migrants under its care.

We reiterate the urgency of ensuring effective measures to prevent recurrence: a thorough review of security conditions in institutional shelters, independent supervision, clear protection protocols, and accountability mechanisms.

The lives and dignity of migrant girls cannot be trapped in impunity!