Runaway U.S. Teen Mistakenly Deported to Colombia

A 15-year-old Texas teenager is being held in a Colombian detention center after being mistakenly deported by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. Jakadrien Turner, an American citizen, ran away from home in November 2010 at the age of 14 following her parents' divorce and the death of her grandfather. In April, Turner was arrested by authorities in Houston for shoplifting and gave the authorities a fake name.

A 15-year-old Texas teenager is being held in a Colombian detention center after being mistakenly deported by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. Jakadrien Turner, an American citizen, ran away from home in November 2010 at the age of 14 following her parents' divorce and the death of her grandfather. In April, Turner was arrested by authorities in Houston for shoplifting and gave the authorities a fake name. The name happened to belong to an undocumented Colombian immigrant who had warrants for her arrest. Turner, who is African American and does not speak Spanish, was subsequently deported to Colombia despite having her fingerprints taken by ICE officials. Turner's grandmother used Facebook and the help of Dallas police to track her down. Colombian officials reportedly took Turner into custody at the request of the U.S. embassy, but have so far refused to release her. Some reports have indicated she may be pregnant.

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