Four bodies were found in the desert surrounding Sunland Park, New Mexico, by U.S. Border Patrol agents. The discovery was made after several days of scorching heat, a common occurrence in this region where human smuggling is rampant.
The bodies are currently under investigation by the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office, the Sunland Park Police Department, and the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator.
According to the El Paso Times, the bodies are believed to be illegal aliens who attempted to cross the U.S.-Mexico border. It is not uncommon for these individuals to succumb to heat stroke, often becoming disoriented in the desert.
The El Paso Times reported that at least 20 deaths have occurred in this area since May. The region has seen an alarming number of fatalities, with authorities attributing the majority to heat-related illnesses.
In a separate incident, KOAT reported that the Sunland Fire Department discovered several dead bodies in the Rio Grande last week. Fire Chief Ramiro Rios described the scene, stating that one person was pulled from the water alive, while the remaining four were found floating face-down.
Rios contacted the El Paso Fire Department for assistance with the body recovery, noting that the department had conducted 18 such recoveries in the desert since March. The chief also mentioned that the department receives regular calls about illegal immigrants falling from the border wall.
The uptick in water rescues has been a new development, with Rios attributing the sudden change to unknown factors. “That’s highly unusual for us, the river normally flows pretty calm here,” he said. “Obviously, there are some undercurrents and it will push you, but I’m not exactly sure why it’s moving any faster this year, but we are definitely experiencing something that we normally don’t.”
