Girl detained receiving off cruise ship at Port Everglades for crime she did not commit

Versie Dortch

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A Texas tourist who took a cruise from Port Everglades returned, only to be arrested at the port on a felony little one endangerment cost. She used three nights in the Broward County Jail, but it turns out regulation enforcement officers detained the incorrect human being.

“I just really do not realize how anything like this can materialize,” Jennifer Heath Box, 48, of Houston informed Community 10 News.

Heath Box has in no way been arrested just before.

“The whole time I was like, ‘this is not occurring,’” she mentioned. “The strip research, the humiliation, the shackles, the prison uniform, being issued blankets.”

Heath Box put in a few evenings inside the Broward County Jail, together with Christmas Working day final 12 months.

She claimed she skipped stating goodbye to her eldest son who deployed on a three-year armed forces mission when she sat at the rear of bars for a criminal offense she hardly ever dedicated.

Heath Box and her full family put in a week on board the Harmony of the Seas.

It was her first cruise and they have been celebrating the simple fact that her brother was most cancers no cost.

When the ship docked at Port Everglades, Heath Box scanned her identification as she disembarked the ship.

“And it instantly came up with a warning,” she explained. “At that stage, protection surrounded me together with the police, asked me if I was Jennifer Heath and questioned me to take away my jewelry.”

Heath Box claimed she was told there was an active warrant for her arrest out of Houston.

“I mentioned, ‘What am I staying arrested for?’” Heath Box claimed. “That’s each time they claimed ‘child endangerment.’ They escorted me off the ship in entrance of all people.”

Heath Box statements there ended up a lot of signs that authorities detained the improper particular person.

She claims the particular person explained in the warrant was not her, which really should have elevated a crimson flag.

She stated she pleaded with the arresting officer, Broward Sheriff’s Workplace Deputy Peter Peraza.

If the identify seems acquainted, Peraza is the deputy who was reinstated soon after remaining acquitted of manslaughter soon after shooting a person who experienced an air rifle in 2013.

Peraza was reinstated as a deputy and now will work at the port.

The warrant obviously states the baby endangerment demand associated a 1-yr-previous and 3-12 months-old, and the Jennifer Heath on the warrant had a date of start of April 7, 1997, this means the woman would have been 26.

“I’m 49 yrs outdated — huge age change,” Heath Box said. “My oldest is 30 and the particular person the warrant was for was born in ‘97. Bodily unattainable.”

“I don’t have young children underneath the age of 5,” she added. “All they retained stating (was) ‘look at the photo.’”

At ingestion within the Broward County Jail, Heath Box promises a detention deputy raised a purple flag.

“She arrived out and she handed the DL to Peter and she mentioned, ‘We ran her DL and we do not have nearly anything in the technique for her,’” Heath Box said. “Peter came again and claimed, ‘No. It is her. Allow me exhibit you. I can show to you it is her. I will display you the photograph.’ Once again, that was all he was concentrated on.’”

Heath Box was booked and put on a hold for Houston, and sat in jail Dec. 24, 25 and 26 of final year.

“I experienced a police officer come to my mobile on the 26th (and say,) ‘I apologize’ and inform me, ‘We know you’re not the Jennifer Heath, we know you have been incarcerated wrongly. I explained, ‘Does this suggest I get released?’ I was explained to ‘no.’

In a statement to Regional 10 Information, BSO mentioned they sympathize with the circumstance and have been alerted to the warrant by Customs and Border Security.

They mentioned they attained out to authorities in Houston who verified the warrant, and on Dec. 26, BSO says they questioned authorities in Harris County, Texas, for fingerprints to ensure they experienced the ideal individual.

Several hours afterwards, they had been instructed there were no prints for the reason that Heath Box had never been arrested prior to.

A BSO spokesperson says on Dec. 27, a message was sent expressing, ‘Release our maintain on the previously mentioned named matter as quickly as possible’ with no further more explanation.

“Houston could have made the error by putting the wrong picture — there have been so a lot of distinctions. It didn’t have to get taken that considerably,” Heath Box mentioned.

The Sheriff’s Workplace claims Peraza adopted the appropriate protocols and that his actions were reviewed by the inner affairs division, and no worker misconduct was found.

The matter is now shut.

“When I was having introduced I was explained to, ‘We are sorry it took place,’” Heath Box said. “I am expending my cash hoping to crystal clear my title and so far I have used $10,000 of my personal savings hoping to apparent my identify.”

“I’m terrified this can transpire again,” Heath Box mentioned.

Study the arrest warrant below:

Copyright 2023 by WPLG Area10.com – All rights reserved.

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