American Mother Of 7 Arrested With Dope Under Bus Seat In Mexico

An Arizona mother of seven will be back in court on Wednesday as a judge weighs whether she will go free or remain behind bars in Mexico, her family said.

It’s a situation Yanira Maldonado’s family said she never imagined when she boarded a bus to head back to the United States last week after attending a family funeral.

Now she’s facing drug-smuggling charges after Mexican authorities said they found 12 pounds of marijuana under her bus seat.

Her family vehemently denies the charges and accuses authorities of arresting her to get bribe money.

A Mexican state official also told CNN it appears that Yanira Maldonado was framed. Mexican authorities arrested Maldonado last Wednesday as she and her husband, Gary, were on their way back to Arizona.

During a search of their bus at a military checkpoint in the northwestern Mexican state of Sonora, authorities asked everyone to get off.

At first, authorities told Gary Maldonado that marijuana had been found under his seat and arrested him, his father, Larry Maldonado, told CNN. After the father contacted the U.S. Consulate in Hermosillo, Mexico, authorities said they were mistaken and released Gary.

Then, they charged his wife.

Gary Maldonado said he believes Mexican soldiers at the checkpoint wanted a bribe.

“It’s about getting money here,” he told CNN’s “Starting Point” on Tuesday.

Looks like they did it to us…

CNN