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A heartbreaking photo emerged of a drowning at the Rio Grande river. The photo, captured by Mexican photographer Julia Le Duc, shows a father and his 23-month-old daughter laying face down in the murky waters of the river after attempting to crows into the United States.
The man, Oscar Alberto Martinez, was attempting to get his family into the United States as they fleed violence and poverty in El Salvador in an attempt to seek asylum, according to a report from CNN.com.
Martinez reached the United States with his daughter, Angie Valeria, and returned to get his wife. That is when his daughter jumped back into the river to follow him and the tragedy occurred. The family obtained a humanitarian visa from the Mexican government and was waiting in a migrant camp before desperation kicked in and they attempted to cross the river on their own.
Their bodies were discovered on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande across the river from Brownsville, Texas.
From the report:
The newspaper talked to the man’s wife, Tania, who said she saw her husband and child drown Sunday. Their bodies were found on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande.
The family had been waiting in a migrant camp in Matamoros for an appointment to receive political asylum from the US, the newspaper said, citing Martinez’s wife. After two months of waiting in scorching heat — temperatures climbed to 113 degrees Fahrenheit at times — the family decided to cross the river out of desperation, La Jornada reported. The victim’s wife said they had obtained a humanitarian visa from the Mexican government.
The heart-wrenching photo has been making the rounds on social media as the political discourse continues regarding immigration issues and policy.
You can see the heartbreaking photo below.
WARNING: Photo contains graphic content that readers may find disturbing.
https://twitter.com/thepres5/status/1143778132610158592
