Imperial Valley News

Marfa, Texas - A Mexican woman and her 12-year-old son were the beneficiaries of a coordinated search by law enforcement officers in Hudspeth County Thursday, September 10. The two were ultimately rescued by a Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter.

The 31-year-old woman used a cell phone to call the Hudspeth County Sheriff’s Office Wednesday evening about 7 p.m. She said she was stranded out in the bush and she and her son were out of food and water. The sheriff’s office notified the U.S. Border Patrol’s Sierra Blanca Station. Border Patrol agents were immediately dispatched to the area identified by the cell phone signal.

In addition to the Border Patrol and the Hudspeth County Sheriff’s Office, aircraft from Air and Marine and the Texas DPS Air unit continued the search on Thursday morning.

At about 2 p.m. Thursday afternoon, the DPS helicopter found the two and flew them to the hospital in Van Horn. Both were treated for dehydration and released.

The woman is being held for prosecution for re-entering the United States after being previously removed. The son was turned over to the Mexican consulate in El Paso. He will be reunited with relatives in Mexico.