10/13/2014
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A woman is expected to face a judge after she allegedly drugged a 3-year-old girl and tried to smuggle her from Mexico to the child’s mother.
Maria Guadalupe Gutierrez allegedly tried to smuggle a friend’s daughter across the Pharr International Bridge in a taxi Wednesday.
At the port, Gutierrez showed U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers a birth certificate of a child from Edinburg and a U.S. passport for herself.
The 24-year-old woman told CBP officers that the girl was her friend’s daughter.
CBP officers said the toddler was sleeping at the time and asked Gutierrez to wake her.
The 3-year-old girl was unresponsive, and officers sent the pair for a secondary inspection.
Investigators said the child continued to stay asleep after trying to wake her.
Gutierrez then allegedly admitted that the child was not a United Stated citizen and born in Jalisco, Mexico.
The child’s mother, Elida Alvarz-Ortiz soon arrived to the port looking for her daughter.
During an interview with the mom, she allegedly admitted that Gutierrez was a friend of hers and she was bringing the toddler across the border as a favor.
The mother allegedly told CBP officers that she got the Edinburg birth certificate from another friend.
A bottle of Oxcarbazepin was used to drug the child, causing her to stay asleep.
Oxcarbazepine is a generic drug that is mainly used to treat epilepsy, anxiety and mood disorders.
Gutierrez gave 5 milliliters of the drug to the 3-year-old.
After multiple attempts to wake the girl up, Alvarez-Ortiz then requested medical attention.
Paramedics rushed the toddler to the McAllen Medical Center for treatment.
After the girl was taken care of, CBP officers took her and Alvarez-Ortiz to Mexico.
Gutierrez is expected to go before Magistrate Judge Dorina Ramos Tuesday at 9 a.m.
According to Port Director Efrain Morales, Gutierrez is facing federal smuggling charges.
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