House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Getty Images/Alex Wong)

(CNSNews.com) - House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D.-Calif.) issued a statement on Wednesday, reminding Americans: “We all have a moral responsibility to ensure all children of God are treated with compassion and decency.”

Pelosi was responding to the death of 8-year-old Felipe Alonzo-Gomez, who died on Christmas Eve in the custody of U.S Customs and Border Protection. Alzono-Gomez and his father, who were from Guatemala, had been intercepted by the Border Patrol along the U.S.-Mexico border near El Paso, Texas.

“Democrats call on Homeland Security’s Inspector General to immediately open an investigation into Felipe Alzono-Gomez’s death,” Pelosi said.

According to a timeline released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and published by CNN, Alonzo-Gomez received repeated medical care after being detained by the Border Patrol. This included being brought to a hospital on the morning of Christmas Eve. He was released later that day, only to die that night.

“A processing agent noticed that the child was coughing and appeared to have glossy eyes,” says the timeline for Dec. 24 as published by CNN. “About 30 minutes later, based on the agents' observations, Felipe was transferred to Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center in Alamogordo with possible influenza symptoms. He was accompanied by his father.”

At 2;50 p.m. that day, according to the timeline: “Felipe was released from the emergency room with a prescription for Ibuprofen and amoxicillin, a commonly prescribed antibiotic.

He and his father were transported to temporary holding at the Highway 70 checkpoint. While at the checkpoint, Felipe and his father were offered and accepted a hot meal.”

But at 10:00 pm that same day, according to the timeline: “Felipe appeared lethargic and nauseous again. Because no EMT was on duty, out of caution, agents made the decision to return Felipe and his father to Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center. During transportation to the hospital, he began to vomit and lost consciousness.”

At 11:48 pm, according to the timeline: “Hospital staff were unable to revive Felipe and pronounced him dead.”

Here is the full text of Pelosi's statement:

San Francisco – Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement after reports that an eight-year-old boy died on Christmas in the custody of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, following the death of seven-year-old Jakelin Amei Rosmery Caal Maquin earlier this month:

“The tragic death of an innocent child on Christmas Day breaks the hearts of all.

“We all have a moral responsibility to ensure all children of God are treated with compassion and decency. The death now of two children in U.S. custody is unconscionable.