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Autopsy: Transgender migrant died from AIDS complications

Apr 9, 2019 | 5:01 PM

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — An autopsy has concluded a Honduran transgender migrant who died while in the custody of U.S. federal immigration officials died of complications from AIDS.

The New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator released Tuesday its findings on the death of 33-year-old Roxsana Hernandez whose mysterious 2018 death in Albuquerque sparked protests.

According to the autopsy, the cause of death was multicentric Castleman disease due to AIDS.

Multicentric Castleman disease is a rare disorder of the immune system.

The autopsy also found Hernandez suffered from broken ribs after medical staff performed CPR in response to at least 10 heart attacks.

Hernandez had travelled with a caravan of Central American asylum seekers and was taken into custody in San Diego.

She was later transferred to El Paso, Texas, before being taken to the Cibola County Detention Center in western New Mexico.

Russell Contreras, The Associated Press

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