Neb. teens left by deported mom can stay



Associated Press - March 2, 2009 11:25 AM ET

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - The Nebraska Court of Appeals says two boys left in Nebraska by their mother when she was deported to Guatemala are considered abused or neglected.

And that makes them eligible for special immigrant status.

In its Feb. 24 opinion, the court overturned a lower court's conclusion in the case of a woman who came to the United States in 2001 or 2002 and later settled in Grand Island. In 2006 she was deported while her sons were in foster care.

A Hall County Court judge had said the mother's actions didn't constitute abuse or neglect because she left her sons so they could have a better life.

The appeals court based its conclusion on the boys' testimony that they had been physically abused and that their mother didn't take care of them.

On the Net:

Nebraska Supreme Court: http://court.nol.org/

http://www.kcautv.com/Global/story.asp? ... =menu110_2

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