Authorities have identified the remains of a young girl missing since an accident that also killed her brother during an alleged human-smuggling run off the coast three weeks ago.
DNA testing determined that the remains, found at Torrey Pines State Beach, were those of Indian national Mahi Patel, 10, who was traveling in a small panga boat with her parents, sibling and about 15 other suspected undocumented immigrants.
The vessel capsized near Del Mar early on May 5, according to the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Emergency crews responding to the accident found Mahi’s brother, Prince, 14, dead on the beach, along with Mexican citizens Marcos Lozada Juarez, 18, and Gorgonio Placido Diaz, 55.
Following eight-plus hours of searching for any possible survivors, authorities suspended the effort, with the girl still missing and presumed dead.
Five of the people aboard the boat were arrested and face federal human smuggling charges. They are Jesus Ivan Rodriguez-Leyva, 36, and Julio Cesar Zuniga-Luna, 30, both of Mexico, who authorities said admitted driving the vessel and smuggling people into the United States, according to a probable cause statement filed in San Diego federal court.
The other three defendants, Melissa Jennelle Cota, 33, Gustavo Lara, 32, and Sergio Rojas-Fregoso, 31, all of Mexico, were arrested hours after the boat capsized.
A survivors told investigators that he planned to pay $10,000 to be smuggled into the United States; another said he agreed to pay $13,000, according to court documents.
A ruling on the child’s cause of death is pending. The other three victims drowned, according to the ME’s office.
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