5-year-old boy dies after falling ill at Chicago migrant shelter

Jean Carlos Martinez, 5, was staying at a temporary migrant shelter in Chicago
He died on Sunday after becoming sick
Detectives are investigating what happened

Updated: Dec 18, 2023 / 01:17 PM CST

FILE – Run by a private firm hired by the city, migrants stay in a makeshift shelter at O’Hare International Airport, Sept. 20, 2023, in Chicago. Five mayors from around the U.S. want a meeting with President Joe Biden to ask for help controlling the continued arrival of large groups of migrants to their cities. The mayors of Denver, Chicago, Houston, New York and Los Angeles say in a letter to Biden that there has been little to no coordination, support or resources and that is leading to a crisis. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley, File Photo)

CHICAGO, IL (NewsNation) — A five-year-old boy staying at a migrant shelter in Chicago died Sunday after falling ill, authorities said.

Jean Carlos Martinez, 5, was transported to a nearby hospital in an ambulance around 3 p.m. after “not feeling well,” according to police. He passed away shortly after arriving.

The 5-year-old was living at a temporary migrant shelter in the city’s Pilsen neighborhood. Detectives are investigating what happened.

The shelter site, a converted warehouse that opened in October, is housing more than 2,300 migrants, according to a recent investigation by Borderless Magazine. Migrants who spoke with the outlet described freezing temperatures and filthy bathrooms, among other issues.

A one-year-old girl was also transported to the hospital from the same shelter with fever and vomiting, ABC7 Chicago reported Monday.

Mayor Brandon Johnson called the boy’s death “tragic” in a statement and said city officials are still gathering information.

“My heart and my prayers go out to the Martinez family,” Johnson said. “The City will continue to provide resources and support to them during this difficult time.”

Over 30,000 migrants have arrived in Chicago by bus or plane since August 2022, according to the city’s public dashboard. Roughly 14,000 of them are staying in 27 temporary shelters across the city. Hundreds of others have slept at local police stations and airports while waiting for space to open up.