Six Bodies Found Inside Boxcar in Laredo, Texas

Authorities discovered six dead inside a railroad freight car in Laredo on Saturday, with the cause and circumstances of their deaths not yet established.

Six bodies were found inside a boxcar in Laredo, Texas, officials confirmed Saturday.
Laredo sits on the U.S.-Mexico border and is a major freight and commercial crossing point.
Authorities had not publicly identified the victims or released a cause of death as of Saturday.
The circumstances surrounding how the individuals came to be inside the boxcar remain under investigation.
Federal agencies have not yet confirmed involvement in the inquiry.

Six bodies were discovered inside a boxcar in Laredo, Texas on Saturday, authorities said, with the cause of death and circumstances of the case not immediately known.

Laredo sits directly on the U.S.-Mexico border and ranks among the busiest land-freight crossings in the country, handling billions of dollars in commercial cargo annually.

Officials had not publicly identified the victims or confirmed whether the deaths were being treated as criminal. No cause of death had been released as of Saturday evening.

The News could not independently confirm late Saturday whether federal law enforcement — including Customs and Border Protection or the FBI — had assumed a role in the investigation.

Border crossings in Laredo have previously been linked to migrant smuggling operations in which individuals have died in sealed freight compartments in extreme heat.

Local and federal officials are expected to release further details Sunday as the investigation continues.