Additional Coverage:
- ICE blames mother for ‘abandoning’ 2-year-old who was allegedly murdered months after deporting her (themirror.com)
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is facing criticism after blaming a mother for the tragic death of her 3-year-old son, following her deportation from the United States earlier this year.
Orlín Josué Hernandez Reyes died in March in Escambia County, Florida, while under the care of his uncle, authorities reported. His mother, Wendy Hernandez Reyes, was deported to Honduras in January. She has maintained that she repeatedly pleaded with ICE to reunite her with Orlín after her deportation.
The child’s autopsy revealed severe injuries, including multiple broken ribs, a transected pancreas, numerous burns, and signs suggesting possible sexual abuse. Following the boy’s death, his uncle, Samuel Maldonado Erazo, was arrested and charged with murder. He has since pleaded not guilty.
In a March statement, ICE accused Hernandez of “abandoning” her son and claimed she “chose to leave her son here with a violent murderer who took his life.” The agency’s Acting Director, Todd M.
Lyons, further criticized her, stating she entrusted her child to an undocumented immigrant “who never should’ve been in this country in the first place.” Lyons encouraged parents to self-deport with their children, emphasizing that ICE offers opportunities for families to leave together.
However, The Washington Post’s investigation challenges ICE’s narrative. Court records and Hernandez’s own account indicate she sought to be reunited with her son throughout her detention. She reportedly begged ICE officials to allow her son to accompany her back to Honduras but was repeatedly denied.
Hernandez and her sister were detained during a traffic stop in Alabama in January. Afterward, ICE took custody of Hernandez and deported her less than a month later.
Hernandez’s attorney noted she has no criminal record and had been a victim of domestic abuse. A judge ordered her deportation after she missed a hearing; she had entered the U.S. in 2022 seeking asylum.
Regarding her son’s care, Hernandez said ICE officers asked what should be done with the children during her detention. As a single mother, she agreed that her sister’s husband, Maldonado, would care for Orlín, believing he would be safer with family than strangers. Though she acknowledged Maldonado had been abusive toward her sister, she insisted he had never harmed the children.
Tragically, police reports describe Maldonado as a heavy drinker who abused the children in his care. Authorities detailed horrific injuries on Orlín, including bruises on his hands-suggesting he tried to shield himself from the abuse-and blunt force trauma listed as the cause of death.
Hernandez recounted a heartbreaking phone call when her sister contacted Maldonado about caring for Orlín. According to Hernandez, Maldonado reassured her sister, saying, “Tell Wendy not to worry. The boy is going to be okay.”
The devastating case raises serious questions about ICE’s policies and the impact of family separations on vulnerable children. As the investigation continues, many are calling for greater accountability and reforms to prevent such tragedies in the future.