Six bodies were discovered inside a Union Pacific boxcar at a rail yard in Laredo, Texas, close to the Mexican border.
The discovery occurred around 3 p.m. on Sunday when a railroad employee opened the car during routine operations. The boxcar had originated in Long Beach, California, and investigators believe the victims boarded it during a stop in Del Rio the previous day.
Officials identified the deceased as five men and one woman. The group included a 14-year-old boy from Honduras, a 24-year-old man from Honduras, a 29-year-old woman from Mexico, and two men from Mexico aged 45 and 56.
Hyperthermia and heat stroke are the suspected causes in each case. The victims likely entered the sealed metal container seeking concealment during transport across south Texas.
Dr. Corinne Stern, Webb County medical examiner, examined the scene and concluded the deaths happened quickly. "I really believe they were dead in less than eight hours," she said.
Jose Baeza, public information officer for the Laredo Police Department, confirmed the initial report. "A Union Pacific employee found the bodies of six people inside a shipping container Sunday afternoon," he said.
Federal agents have opened a human smuggling investigation. Authorities are tracing the route and examining how the group accessed the railcar without detection at any stops along the way.
Rail yards near the border frequently attract smuggling operations because trains move large distances with limited security checks. The boxcar remained locked for hours under the Texas sun before workers reached it.
Police continue to collect evidence from the car and surrounding area. No additional details about possible smugglers have been released as the probe advances. The incident underscores ongoing risks for individuals using rail transport in remote areas to evade detection while crossing borders.
