McALLEN, Texas (Border Report) — Donations are being collected in South Texas for a young migrant girl who lost both legs while traveling on a notorious train through Mexico to the U.S. border.
Sister Norma Pimentel, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, posted on social media on Thursday night asking for money and assistance for the girl who “lost her balance when the train pulled away after stopping for only a few seconds. The train took off dragging the child.”
The girl’s mother picked up “one of the child’s foot that she found in the tracks,” Pimentel wrote on Facebook alongside a photo showing her holding the small child who is missing her lower legs.
The girl was eventually taken to a hospital “where the child got medical help,” Pimentel wrote.
She was traveling with her mother, father and two siblings and the child was injured as “all five of them attempted to get on the train in Mexico,” she says.
Pimentel runs the nonprofit Humanitarian Respite Center in McAllen, the largest migrant shelter in South Texas, which offers temporary overnight shelter, toiletries, food and clothing to immigrants who cross the border from Mexico after they are legally released by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The Humanitarian Respite Center in McAllen, Texas is run by Catholic Charities RGV, which helps immigrants after they are released by Border Patrol. (Sandra Sanchez/Border Report File Photo)
Pimentel says the family is at the Humanitarian Respite Center and they need funds to travel to Tennessee.
Normally the facility just gives travel advice to immigrant families, but occasionally will assist with some travel costs for very vulnerable families or those with disabled children, Pimentel has told Border Report. In June, the center celebrated its 10th anniversary helping immigrants on the South Texas border.
Pimentel wrote aside from travel expenses, “the family needs guidance (on) how to help their child get prosthetics.”
Dozens of people shared the post Friday and several commented that they have donated to help the girl.
Donations for the girl can be made to Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley at this link.
Thousands of immigrants ride atop the dangerous train, commonly called “La Bestia” (or The Beast) because so many have been injured and killed taking it en route to the U.S. border.
A Central American migrant jumps from one freight train car to another, before the train leaves Arriaga, Chiapas state, Mexico, Wednesday, April 24, 2019. The train known as “The Beast” is once again rumbling through the night loaded with people headed toward the U.S. border after a raid on a migrant caravan threatened to end the practice of massive highway marches through Mexico. (AP File Photo/Moises Castillo)
Border Report has reached out to Pimentel to interview the family but has not heard back. This story will be updated if additional information is received.
Sandra Sanchez can be reached at SSanchez@BorderReport.com.
Read: Read More