What Happened to Ana Karen Vasquez Flores? Pregnant woman died while trying to cross the border from Canada into the United States to meet her husband
Ana Karen Vasquez Flores, a 33-year-old woman from Mexico, lost her life attempting to cross the U.S.-Canada border in December. She was several months pregnant and intended to join her husband in the U.S. for a new life.
After her husband informed the border patrol that she had not arrived at their designated meeting point, Ana Karen’s lifeless body was discovered near the now-closed Roxham Road in upstate New York, two days later.
Solidarity Across Borders spokesperson, Hady Anne, shared that Ana Karen was aware of the dangers posed by criminal gangs along the Mexico-U.S. border. Consequently, she believed it would be safer to fly to Montreal and attempt to cross the border from Canada.
Upon arriving in Quebec, Vasquez Flores sought assistance from someone who could help her navigate the border. Tragically, the details surrounding her journey remain unclear. Anne stated, “A man was supposed to accompany her and take her money.
We are uncertain about what transpired next. The information we have suggests that he placed her on a boat and left her there.”
In connection with Vasquez Flores’ death, a 35-year-old man has been charged. Jhader Augusto Uribe-Tobar, a Colombian residing in Quebec, has been accused of three counts related to smuggling. U.S. authorities are seeking his extradition, alleging that he advertised his services on TikTok under a false identity.
Uribe-Tobar reportedly charged Ana Karen and her husband $2,500 to guide her via text messages as she embarked on the perilous journey across the border.
According to court documents filed by New York officials in Quebec Superior Court, Vasquez Flores’ husband, Miguel Mojarro-Magna, had contacted the TikTok account and was informed that the journey to the U.S., which involved crossing a waterway, could take up to three hours.
Vasquez-Flores would be guided across the border using her cellphone, as she was informed by her husband through messages on a social media platform that they do not rely on a guide or friend but rather work in a different manner.
Following the request for extradition, Uribe-Tobar was apprehended by the RCMP at his residence in St-Hyacinthe, Que., in late December. The accused made an appearance at the Montreal courthouse on Dec. 28 and is scheduled to appear again on Jan. 12.
Meanwhile, numerous organizations persistently urge the government to establish more secure border policies.
