Guatemalan boy detained at border dies in US custody

An eight-year-old boy from Guatemala has died in US government custody, officials say, the second migrant child to die in US detention this month.

The border agency says the boy died on Monday night hours after showing signs of illness. A Texas congressman named him as Felipe Alónzo-Gomez.

The child was detained with his father on 18 December after illegally crossing the US-Mexico border.

A seven-year-old girl died earlier this month just hours after being detained.

Jakelin Caal, also from Guatemala, developed a high fever and died of liver failure.

Thousands of migrants have travelled from Central America - mainly from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador - to the US border.

Many say there are fleeing persecution, poverty and violence in their home countries and plan to seek asylum in the US.