Mother Jumping Border Fence With Kids Falls, Is Impaled

A Guatemalan woman was impaled by rebar when she attempted to enter the US illegally Friday night. The 26-year-old, who was traveling with her 3-year-old and 5-year-old, scaled a US border fence near California's San Ysidro Port of Entry. The San Diego Union-Tribune reports she was in an area that is under construction as crews work to replace decades-old fencing. She fell, and rebar from the new construction pierced her side and buttocks. Border Patrol arrived on the scene and ultimately called for the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department; the woman was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The Union-Tribune doesn't specify whether the children also fell from the fence, but does say they were "evaluated ... for potential fall trauma" and found to be OK. "Entering our country illegally, particularly over our walls is not only dangerous, but also very foolish," San Diego’s chief border patrol agent said Saturday. "This woman placed her own life and her children’s lives in peril. She could have easily died if not for the quick response by our agents and EMS." The woman told authorities she was not part of the large migrant caravan group currently in Tijuana. It was not clear whether her intention was to request asylum in the US, Fox 5 San Diego reports. (President Trump recently threatened to close the entire border with Mexico.)