A 9-year-old migrant boy died last month from heat-related complications in Mesa after crossing the Arizona-Mexico border with his family.
The boy died June 17 from environmental heat exposure and hyperthermia, which is when the body overheats, according to the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office. The boy began experiencing seizures and was diagnosed with multi-organ failure following the hours-long trek in the scorching southern Arizona desert.
The boy’s death is not an isolated incident.
While migrant deaths in the desert receive increased attention in the summer months, it’s a lethal issue that’s been raging for decades.
Over the past 20 years, the southern Arizona desert has claimed the lives of thousands of migrants. Rising temperatures due to climate change are only expected to exacerbate the situation.
