Humanitarians help recover body of illegal immigrant (KOLD-AZ)

Humanitarians help recover body of illegal immigrant

Posted: Feb 12, 2010 9:34 AM

By Karla Ronquillo

NOGALES, AZ (KOLD) - Volunteers with No More Deaths help recover the body of a suspected illegal immigrants.

Some members representing the humanitarian group came across the body about two miles east of Ruby Road on Tuesday.

The members contacted the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office to help recover the body.

Officials say the individual was in the desert between six to seven months.

The body has not been identified.

"We were on a day-long humanitarian patrol and were walking a narrow canyon that none of us had traveled before. As we walked the canyon we found a shallow grave partially covered in small rocks adorned with a hand-made cross," said Kevin Riley one of the volunteers.

According to Derechos Humanos, at least 61 bodies of suspected illegal immigrants have been recovered in southern Arizona between October 1, 2009 and January 31, 2010 (FY2010).

Human rights leaders say this is 20% more than at this time last year.