Unaccompanied migrant child died in U.S. custody, officials say

A 17-year-old migrant child from Honduras who arrived in the U.S. without a parent or guardian has died in government custody in Florida, officials said Friday, in what is believed to be the first such death in years. 

Enrique Reina, the Honduran secretary of foreign affairs, identified the child as Ángel Eduardo Maradiaga Espinoza and called for an "exhaustive investigation" into his death. Reina said the child was being held at a shelter used to house unaccompanied children in Safety Harbor, Florida, a small city west of Tampa.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) acknowledged the death in a statement but provided few details about the circumstances.

"[The department] is deeply saddened by this tragic loss and our heart goes out to the family, with whom we are in touch," the agency said.