A five-year-old boy in Philadelphia, diagnosed with brain cancer, faces a deteriorating eating disorder following the detention of his father, Johny Merida, by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Merida, who has lived in the United States for nearly two decades without official permission, was taken into custody in September 2025. Since then, his son, Jair, has struggled to maintain his nutritional needs, relying exclusively on his father for sustenance.
Jair Merida, who also has autism, has developed a severe eating disorder that necessitates a specific nutrition drink, PediaSure. Prior to his father’s detention, he would only accept food from Merida, who dedicated his time to caring for him after work. With Merida in ICE custody for nearly five months, Jair’s health has rapidly declined.
Merida has recently agreed to deportation to Bolivia, a decision that poses significant risks for his son. “Even if we wanted to go back to Bolivia, there’s no hospital. The treatment is not adequate,” he told the *Philadelphia Inquirer*. The *US State Department* has echoed this concern, stating that hospitals in Bolivia struggle to manage severe medical conditions.
Jair’s mother, Gimena Morales Antezana, has expressed the emotional and financial toll of her husband’s detention. Unable to afford basic necessities such as rent and utilities, Morales Antezana has been overwhelmed by the challenges of caring for three children, including Jair. “We have been trying to survive, but it is difficult with the children because they miss their dad so much,” she explained.
Merida has been held at the Moshannon Valley Processing Center in rural Pennsylvania, a facility described by his lawyer as a “tough environment.” His attorney, John Vandenberg, noted that the conditions have taken a toll on Merida, who had previously faced deportation in 2008. He crossed back into the US shortly after being sent back but has no criminal record.
Medical professionals have stressed the importance of Merida’s presence in Jair’s life. According to Cynthia Schmus, a neuro-oncology nurse practitioner at the *Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia*, “Jair’s father’s daily support in feeding his son is integral to his overall health.” She warned that without this support, Jair is at risk of significant medical decline, having consumed less than 30 percent of his necessary daily calories since his father’s detention.
As the family prepares to leave the United States, they are set to reunite in Cochabamba, Bolivia, although the timeline of Merida’s deportation remains uncertain. Morales Antezana hopes for better medical care for Jair once they are together again. Doctors have indicated that Jair’s brain tumor has not grown recently, giving the family a glimmer of hope for future treatment.
Despite the ongoing struggle, Morales Antezana voiced a bittersweet sentiment: “It’s scary to think that if something happens we don’t have a hospital to take him to, but knowing his dad will be there makes it a little lighter to bear.”
A GoFundMe campaign initiated by a family friend has highlighted the dangers of returning to Bolivia, where pediatric cancer survival rates are significantly lower than in the United States. As the family navigates these challenges, they await a more certain future, with the prospect of a father’s support being a critical lifeline for young Jair.
The *Daily Mail* has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security and Vandenberg for further comments regarding this case.
