Funeral planned for 6-year-old girl who died at US border

PHOENIX – The parents of 6-year-old girl who died while attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border say her body will be flown to New York for a funeral.

A civil rights group working with the family of Gurupreet Kaur says the girl’s dad has been living in New York for several years and has a pending asylum claim.

The girl from India was travelling with her mother, a 27-year-old woman, who has since been released from immigration custody and is in New York.

Authorities initially said Gurupreet was 7, but Pima County Medical Examiner Dr. Gregory Hess said she was just shy of that. Hess said she died of hyperthermia, heat stroke and exhaustion.

Border Patrol agents found her on June 12 near the Arizona-Mexico border.

A growing number of Indian nationals are arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border, many seeking asylum.