American Siblings Forced to Beg for Money in Reynosa

Posted: Oct 16, 2013 7:13 PM
Updated: Oct 16, 2013 7:26 PM

McALLEN - A brother and sister are waiting to return to the United States after their father died in a Mexican prison.

The 9-year-old twins are American citizens. They have been living in a children's home in Reynosa since their father's death.

People reported seeing the twins begging for money in McAllen in August. Drivers called authorities to report the young panhandlers, but they, along with their father, eventually ended up in Reynosa.

The children's father, Jeremy Dean Birnkernhoff, 38, died Monday. His children were left in a legal state of limbo.

"They had been begging on the streets for money. Their father claimed he was sick, but he was always drunk," Carlos Garcia said. He is Reynosa's director of family and child protective services.

The children and their father traveled nearly 1,600 from California to South Texas.

Garcia said the children were aware American authorities were looking for them.

The children told Garcia they were in Reynosa for the past two months. Garcia said the kids were filthy when authorities found them.

Garcia said his office received a flurry of calls from people in the Valley.

"They've called thanking us for taking in these two children. They had seen them on American streets," Garcia said.

The children's mother is said to be in the Valley, but Mexican authorities will release the children only to Texas Child Protective Services.

http://www.krgv.com/news/american-si...ey-in-reynosa/