A new development in a winding legal battle following the death of a young drug rehab worker in a crash involving a teenaged illegal immigrant was revealed this week: the teen and his family have been arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Last July, the then 15-year-old was allegedly driving at more than 90 mph in an area of Aurora, Colo. with 45 mph speed limits when he slammed an uninsured Jeep into a car driven by 24-year-old Kailyn Weaver. She was headed home from her job at a drug rehab center, according to CBS News.
Weaver was described by her family as caregiver and she volunteered for a suicide prevention hotline. Two days after the accident, she was taken off life support and her organs were donated.
Initially, CBS reported that the teen – who had other minors in the car with him and allegedly took the car without permission – was charged with vehicular homicide. Per the outlet, Waver’s family said the prosecution said they would pursue the maximum youth sentence of two years and that no plea deal would be offered.
However, her father said that changed when Arapahoe County District Attorney’s Office leadership changed a few months later. Under new District Attorney Amy Padden, the teen was offered two years’ probation instead, if he pleaded guilty. While the teen’s mother planned to send him back to their home country of Colombia, CBS said that he has had filed for asylum as of mid-May.
“Arapahoe County Assistant District Attorney Ryan Brackley says an experienced prosecutor handled the plea deal without any direct involvement by the new administration,” CBS News reported. “A judge, he notes, upheld the deal after hearing from the family.”
The teen’s probation includes 100 hours of community service and a requirement to attend school and not break any laws. Violations of the probation would land him back in court.
FOX News’ Bill Meugin posted an update to the case Thursday on X. He said that ICE confirmed that it has arrested the teen and his family. He added that ICE is seeking to deport them.
ICE’s statement to FOX said that the teen was arrested May 20 in Aurora. It also said that “ICE arrests aliens who commit crimes and other individuals who have violated our nation’s immigration laws. All aliens in violation of U.S. immigration law may be subject to arrest, detention and, if found removable by final order, removal from the United States, regardless of nationality.”
President Donald Trump made cracking down on illegal immigration a cornerstone of his presidential campaign last year, and made many claims about criminals pouring into the U.S. from other countries. Since taking office in January, he has worked to reduce illegal immigration through increased enforcement and other measures, even suggesting ending birthright citizenship.
In a Thursday X post, the White House said: “An illegal alien killed Kaitlyn Weaver while recklessly driving at 90mph without a license. The DA let him walk with probation. ICE arrested him—and his entire illegal alien family. They’re all now facing deportation. American lives are not expendable. Rest in Peace, Kaitlyn.”