Family Alleges 3-Year-Old Abused in U.S. Immigration Custody, Sues Government.

A 3-year-old immigrant girl was allegedly sexually abused while in federal custody in Texas, according to a lawsuit filed by her family. The girl was separated from her mother at the US-Mexico border and placed in a foster home, where she was allegedly abused by an older child.

The abuse came to light after a caregiver noticed the girl’s underwear was on backward, and she disclosed that she had been abused multiple times, causing bleeding. Despite this, officials initially told the father there had been an “accident” and didn’t provide further details.

The father, a legal permanent resident, had been waiting five months for his daughter’s release and only learned about the abuse after filing a habeas petition. The girl was released to her father two days after the petition was filed and is now living with him and her grandparents in Chicago.

The lawsuit alleges the government failed to protect the girl and seeks accountability for her abuse. The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) has not commented on the allegations.