Americas

Migrant Mother Impaled in Attempt to Climb Border Fence

Migrants, part of a caravan of thousands trying to reach the U.S., stand by the border fence between Mexico and the United States, as a man welds concertina wire, as seen from Tijuana, Mexico Nov. 15, 2018.

A migrant woman was hurt during her attempt to climb a U.S.-Mexico border fence with her two small children.

Border Patrol agent Tekae Micheal said Saturday the 26-year Guatemalan woman was impaled on pieces of rebar (steel reinforcing rods) when she fell from the fence near the San Ysidro Port of Entry Friday night.

Her punctures were not life-threatening and she was taken to a U.S. hospital.

The Los Angeles Times reports her children — ages 3 and 5 — were released to Border Patrol custody.

The woman told authorities she was not part of the caravan that traveled from Central America to the Mexican border city of Tijuana.

SEE ALSO: StoryMap: Migrant Caravan at the US Border

Officials say the rebar is part of the ongoing work to replace decades-old fencing and is not connected with the U.S. military's recent mission to strengthen the fence in response to the caravan.