An eight-months pregnant Haitian woman marching with nearly 4,000 migrants toward the United States border gave birth after being rushed from the caravan to a hospital in southern Mexico.
The 27-year-old woman, identified as Chrismene, welcomed a 6.8-pound, healthy baby boy named Kevin Alfred on Tuesday in the Chiapas city of Tonalá and is currently resting with her son at a home in the nearby town of Pijijiapan.
Chrismene, who delivered the baby via Caesarean-section, was among a group of 60 pregnant women who last Thursday were offered humanitarian visas that will allow them to remain in Mexico, receive social services and have permits to work while receiving housing assistance at government-run shelters.
The bundle of joy helped ease some anguish for Chrismene, who began the treacherous 13,000-mile trek to the United States with her husband but he died in Panamá, a family member identified as Jaqueline told the local Mexican press.
Kevin Alfred became the first baby born from the caravan of 4,000 migrants that is traveling through the southern Mexican state of Chiapas towards the United States border. Kevin Alfred's mother, a 27-year-old identified as Chrismine, joined the caravan in the Chiapas town of Tapachula after migrating from Panamá, where her husband reportedly died. At least 60 pregnant women are in the caravan
Migrants from Africa, the Caribbean, Central America and South American make up a caravan of 4,000 people who are headed from the southern Mexico state of Chiapas to the United States border
One of the caravan leaders, Irineo Mujica, told local reporters on Wednesday that Chrismene sought medical attention in Mapastepec earlier this week, but was reportedly denied access and told that she had to return to Tapachula, the Chiapas town located near the border with Guatemala and where the migrants initially set off from on October 23.
'The Mexican authorities wanted to return her to Tapachula, however, she did not want to and because of it she was directed to a regional hospital in Tonalá where she gave birth,' Mujica said, as quoted by El Diario.
Mujica said the National Institute of Migration 'should provide them their permanent visa cards at the place where they are located so they don't continue with the caravan.'
Under the Mexico constitution, Kevin Alfred is automatically granted Mexican citizenship for having been born in the country, regardless off his mother's immigration status.
The caravan - made up of Africans, Caribbeans, Central Americans and South Americas - has seen its progress slow over the 12 days of travel, as migrants have had to stop and rest to recover from illnesses and injuries.
Chrismene (right) on Tuesday became the first member of the current migrant caravan in Mexico to go into labor. She
