On Friday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported that a migrant woman from Guatemala tragically lost her life after falling around 30 feet from the summit of a border fence near a port of entry in California.
According to a statement released by CBP, a woman in San Diego became trapped on the secondary fence near the Otay Mesa Port of Entry on March 21. She called for help for over 20 minutes before eventually falling onto the concrete below. As a result, she sustained significant head injuries. The incident was only confirmed by CBP on Friday.
The Otay Mesa Port of Entry stands as one of the three ports of entry within the San Diego-Tijuana metropolitan region.
Border agents quickly noticed the woman’s attempt to climb the fence at around 10:30 p.m. PDT. This particular section of the barrier stands at about 30 feet tall and consists of vertical metal bollards.
Agents made an effort to dissuade the woman from climbing the fence, but she disregarded their verbal instructions.
According to CBP officials, the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department arrived at the scene around 18 minutes later. However, due to a narrow turn, the firetruck was unable to reach a position where the ladder could be used effectively.
The woman kept shouting for help repeatedly until she finally lost her balance and fell from the fence at 10:54 p.m. PDT. This happened 23 minutes after she was initially found and got stuck.
The firefighters reached the woman after about 10 minutes and immediately performed CPR. However, despite their efforts, a physician who was consulted over the phone later confirmed her death.
According to officials, CBP agents captured some of the incident on body cameras they were wearing.
The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death is now being handled by the San Diego Police Department and San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office is still investigating the cause of death, and as of now, it has not been determined. The official ruling is pending, and the details of the case have not been made available on the department’s website yet.
The incident is currently under internal review by multiple entities, including the San Diego Fire Department Professional Standards Unit, the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, and the CBP Office of Professional Standards.
The Otay Mesa Port of Entry holds the distinction of being the third-busiest commercial land crossing connecting the United States and Mexico. Additionally, it is an area that witnesses numerous attempts by migrants from Central and South America to illegally cross the border.
A tragic incident occurred in 2021 when a woman lost her life while attempting to swim around a barrier on the southern boundary from Tijuana into the United States near San Diego.