Yanira Maldonado, the Arizona mother of 7 who was held in a Mexican Jail on a marijuana charge, was freed Thursday evening, as reported by the New York Post and NBC News. After the court reviewed her case, including key security footage the showed Yanira and her husband Gary boarding the bus carrying only blankets, bottles of water and her purse, the authorities realized that the charges against her were false, and dismissed her case.
Maldonado was detained on May 22 after soldiers found 12 pounds of marijuana taped under her seat on a bus that she was taking back to the United States. The family's lawyer in Nogales, Jose Francisco Benitez Paz, said a judge determined Thursday that she was no longer a suspect and all allegations against her were dropped.
She described her time in jail as "very sad" but said she had been treated respectfully.
"My faith and my family kept me going," she said. Madonado is a Mormon who was born in Mexico and is a naturalized American citizen.
She said that the mistake was the fault of "a few people," and not the country. It was a matter that she had just sat in the wrong seat.
"I love Mexico. My family is still there. Mexico is a beautiful country. Please don't take it wrong. "Many thanks to everyone, especially my God who let me go free, my family, my children, who with their help, I was able to survive this test," she said.
The judge had until late Friday to decide whether to free her or send her to another prison in Mexico while state officials continued to build their case. Prosecutors could appeal the ruling.
Drug traffickers have increasingly been using passenger buses to move U.S.-bound drugs through Mexico. Federal agents and soldiers have set up checkpoints along Mexico's main highways and have routinely seized cocaine, marijuana, heroin and more from buses.
For the past week, her family expressed outrage and sadness for the charges against her. They advocated publicly for her release, and late Thursday evening, they received the good news.
Arizona Senator Jeff Flake posted on Twitter that the U.S. consul general confirmed release. Since last week, he has been chief advocate in trying to get Maldonado released.
