- Title: Honduran toddler reunited with mother after being found alone in Mexico
- Date: 18th July 2021
- Summary: SAN PEDRO SULA, HONDURAS (JULY 17, 2021) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MOTHER LORENA GARCIA WITH SON, WILDER GARCIA AND WILDER GETTING INTO VEHICLE GARCIA AND WILDER IN VEHICLE VARIOUS OF VEHICLE TRANSPORTING GARCIA AND WILDER SAN JOSE MIRAMAR, HONDURAS (JULY 17, 2021) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF FAMILY WAITING FOR RETURN OF GARCIA AND WILDER GRANDMOTHER WITH WILDER FAMILY WITH WILDER WILDER NEAR BANNER READING: (Spanish) "WELCOME WILDER" (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) WILDER'S MOTHER, LORENA GARCIA, SAYING: "Yesterday was a day where my life came back to me because I saw him (Wilder), he recognised me and ran towards me. I felt happy because I had a sorrow from not knowing about my husband and who will bring him (Wilder) here." VARIOUS OF WILDER WITH FAMILY (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) WILDER'S MOTHER, LORENA GARCIA, SAYING: JOURNALIST ASKING: "Are you both going to try again and go to the United States?" "No, not anymore. To risk the lives of children. It's been sad what we went trough. It's better to be poor and to keep on living." WILDER'S FAMILY AT HOME
- Embargoed: 1st August 2021 17:48
- Keywords: Honduras Mexico found alone immigration migrants migration toddler
- Location: SAN PEDRO SULA + SAN JOSE MIRAMAR, HONDURAS
- City: SAN PEDRO SULA + SAN JOSE MIRAMAR, HONDURAS
- Country: Honduras
- Topics: Asylum/Immigration/Refugees,South America / Central America,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001EMD8KSN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:A toddler who made international headlines when he was found alone in Mexico after a harrowing attempt to reach the United States has been reunited with his family in Honduras.
The boy's mother, Lorena Garcia, 23, said she hugged her two-year-old son Wilder tightly when she met him in the northern Honduran city of San Pedro Sula where he arrived by plane after spending nearly 20 days in the custody of Mexican authorities.
Wilder's plight received international media attention after he was found alone in June near a cargo truck that carried dozens of migrants making their way through Veracruz state to the U.S. border with Mexico. Mexican security agents found Wilder half naked and surrounded by trash.
Mexico's National Migration Institute confirmed in a statement the boy was transferred to the care of Honduran officials on Friday (July 16) with the intention of bringing him to his family.
Wilder and his father had reportedly left the family's home in Copan near the border with Guatemala in a bid to reach the United States and secure work. The father and son were travelling with a human smuggler- or coyote- before Wilder was found alone by Mexican authorities, according to reports.
Wilder's father is reportedly being held at an immigration centre and is expected to be returned to Honduras.
There has been an increase this year in unaccompanied children, mainly from Central America, arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border, even as the administration of President Joe Biden warns migrants not to come.
Migrants who cross Mexico to reach the United States, many of whom are fleeing violence and poverty in their home countries, often face a perilous journey with the risk of kidnappings, killings and other violent crime.
(Production: Jose Cabezas, Manuel Carrillo, Paul Vieira) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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