Illinois will provide burial for migrant toddler who died on bus

By JOHN O’CONNOR and MELISSA PEREZ WINDER
Associated Press

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Officials say Illinois will provide funeral and burial services for the migrant toddler who died last week on a bus headed to Chicago from Texas. Jismary Alejandra Barboza González would have turned 4 next week. She died Aug. 10 while on a chartered bus, part of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s program sending migrants to Democratic-led cities across the country. Rachel Otwell is spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Human Services. She says the Illinois Welcoming Center, a partially state-funded program, will cover Thursday’s funeral and burial costs. The girl became ill aboard the bus in southern Illinois. She later died at a hospital.