Children left alone while mother is questioned
Comments 21 | Recommend 1
August 16, 2008 - 5:20PM
By Brie Handgraaf/ Times-News
Twins Mia and Amy, 2, are like any other kids their age: they are full of energy, even as they sit in the lobby of the Alamance County jail. What make them different is that their mother, Luzadrina Lopez, is in the United States illegally.

The Lopez family was among the people traveling on a bus through North Carolina Wednesday when it was pulled over for a safety violation on the interstate. After a language barrier caused a state Division of Motor Vehicles officer to call for help, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers entered the picture.

Officials transported the nine adults and three children, the twins and 7-month-old Marleni Lopez (unrelated to the twins), to the Best Western Hotel on Huffman Mill Road. ICE investigated the matter and determined seven adults were in violation of immigration laws and were processed for removal.

Among the illegals were the twins' mother and Marleni's mother, Mar¬a Lopez, who were taken to the jail around 8 p.m.

ICE took Luzadrina to be processed - leaving the twins in the lobby.

The twins' father called Beth, a friend who asked that her last name not be used in this story. She showed up just as Luzadrina was being taken back.

Beth was left sitting in the lobby with the twins, whom she'd only met a couple of times years earlier. There were no diapers, toys or food because their things were with the rest of the luggage.

Officials said that the children could not go with their mother. It fell on the mother to make arrangements for the children.

The twins roamed the lobby flashing smiles to Windy O'Daniel, a desk officer at the jail, and the magistrates on duty. When O'Daniel realized the kids were hungry she picked up McDonald's Happy Meals for them.

Later when the girls had dirty diapers Beth had nothing to change them. Mara came to the rescue and gave up two of Marleni's diapers.

Luzadrina wasn't released until around midnight, leaving the kids to amuse themselves in the meantime. One slept while another scribbled with a pen on some paper.

After Luzadrina was released, officials came for Mara Lopez again, saying the infant couldn't come back. I was there and volunteered to watch the child. I held the tiny infant for several hours trying my best to keep her entertained with funny faces and the occasional raspberry on her arm when she started to cry.

Around 12:30, she fell asleep on my chest for about half an hour. I had no idea how long I would be watching the baby, let alone what to do if she had a dirty diaper or needed a bottle. ICE officers took Mara's purse and diaper bag with her so I had nothing.





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