A U.S. lawful permanent resident was detained on Wednesday following accusations that she tried to illegally bring a sedated child into the country through the Southern Border using a fraudulent birth certificate, as stated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Gloria Lopez-Corona, 24, a citizen of Mexico, attempted to enter the U.S. accompanied by a five-year-old boy at the San Luis port of entry in Arizona. She presented a birth certificate that turned out to belong to another child, as it was issued for a toddler aged two.
It was found that the boy was an unaccompanied minor from Mexico who had been sedated. The child, having consumed melatonin gummies, appeared sleepy and confused. Homeland Security Investigations confiscated items suspected to have been used in drugging the boy.
The child’s mother admitted to giving him to an unknown woman to be smuggled into the U.S. (Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Lopez-Corona, who was arrested by Homeland Security Investigations, faces charges for Alien Smuggling.
“This depraved individual drugged an innocent child and trafficked them into our country,” Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to Fox News. “Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, DHS will protect children and stop the traffickers and smugglers that exploit children.”
Fox News’ Bill Melugin contributed to this report.
