Children barefoot, hungry, unwashed
While human smuggling in the border region continues occupying law enforcement, Encinal Police officers are describing a recent traffic stop as gut-wrenching.
Police say a routine traffic stop on Saturday, June 11, shone light on an apparent desperation among those willing to risk imprisonment for smuggling immigrants through South Texas for profit.
According to a report on the case, officers effected a traffic stop shortly after 10 p.m. Saturday after spotting the driver of a Dodge Challenger commit a traffic violation.
The driver, identified as Sandra Herrera, 27, stopped the vehicle near Milemarker 45 on IH-35 and officers noted that the San Antonio woman had three adult male passengers who appeared to be holding her three small children in the car.
All three men have since been listed as undocumented immigrants.
The children are identified as being ages one, two and four; none was restrained with a safety belt.
“The kids had not eaten, they were barefoot with soiled diapers,” Encinal Lt. Angel Esparza said. “Officers, off-duty officers and the city secretary all cared for the children for nearly six hours. We cooked for them, played with them and contacted Child Protective Services.”
Herrera was transported to the La Salle County Jail without further incident and faces a number of felony charges including human smuggling.
“This is definitely a case that pulled at our heartstrings,” Esparza said. “Just those few hours we spent with those kids you could tell that it meant something to them.”
