The six-year old Costa Rican child that was found Tuesday afternoon abandoned and alone in Luckerville, Arizona near the border, will remain in the custody of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the information was released by the Ministry of Public Affairs in Costa Rica.

Mabel Segura, General Consul to Costa Rica in Los Angeles and Carmen Bermudez, Honorary Consul in Arizona, agreed with the Border Patrol authorities of Tucson, Arizona to transport the minor on a direct flight to New York.

The work and immediate intervention of the Costa Rican consulate are considered “very successful” since, originally, the child was going to be transferred to a shelter in Arizona, far from his mother who is in New York, which would have made the contact between them impossible in every way since the mother holds an illegal status.

The child will be able to visit his mother and other family members in New York.

“Social services will open a file and follow up on this case to determine whether or not he can be returned to his mother. In order for this to happen, she will have to demonstrate social and economic capability. The process involves interviews and house visits”, explained Segura.

Epsy Campbell, Minister of Foreign Affairs, has maintained contact with the minor to ensure he is in good condition; she has also given instructions to handle this case with priority along with coordination with the Costa Rican Child Welfare Agency (PANI) and the General Directorate of Migration. The General Consul to Costa Rica in New York, Rolando Madrigal is also following up on the case.

According to the report by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the child said he was left in that place by an uncle, who in the border told him to continue on his own and he’d be rescued at some point; the minor was carrying his birth certificate and contact numbers of his family in Costa Rica.