Teen boy 1 of 3 killed in alleged human smuggling attempt near San Diego: 5 Mexican nationals charged

SAN DIEGO - Federal officials charged five Mexican nationals with human smuggling-related crimes this week, after the alleged smugglers' boat was found flipped over at a beach near San Diego.

What we know:

On May 5, witnesses found a panga boat that had flipped over at a beach in Del Mar. The witnesses and lifeguards worked to help the people on the boat, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Crews pulled three dead bodies from the water, including one of a 14-year-old boy from India. Four other people were taken to the hospital, including the 14-year-old's parents.

Nine other people were initially reported missing, including the boy's 10-year-old sister.

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Officials arrested two people at the beach Monday morning. Julio Cesar Zuniga-Luna and Jesus Ivan Rodriguez-Leyva were charged with trying to smuggle the group into the country. 

Later Monday, Border Patrol agents found two cars that were believed to be involved in the smuggling incident near Chula Vista. There, agents found eight of the nine migrants missing from the boat. The only person agents did not find was the 10-year-old girl.

Melissa Jenelle Cota, Gustavo Lara and Sergio Rojas-Fregoso were arrested and charged with transporting the undocumented migrants. 

Officials also said that Rojas-Fregoso was an undocumented immigrant who was deported in December 2023.

All five people charged were Mexican nationals, officials said.

What they're saying:

In a statement Tuesday, U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon called the smuggling attempt "a heartbreaking reminder of how little human traffickers care about the costs of their deadly business."

"Smugglers often treat people as disposable commodities, leading to tragic and sometimes deadly consequences, as we saw in this case," said Shawn Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of HSI in San Diego.

Dig deeper:

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, the 10-year-old girl is still missing at sea and presumed dead. Her dad is in a coma, and her mother is also in the hospital.

What's next:

 Rodriguez-Leyva and Zuniga-Luna could face the death penalty or life in prison if convicted of the smuggling charges. 

Cota, Lara and Rojas-Fregoso face up to 10 years in prison and a $500,000 fine for the transportation charges.