UPDATE ON W/W CASE OF MCGRAW, BRITNY

UNCLAS NOGALES 000077 SIPDIS SIPDIS CA/OCS/ACS/WHA SAMUEL COLON-RUIZ E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MX CASC BRITNY MCGRAW SUBJECT: UPDATE ON W/W CASE OF MCGRAW, BRITNY REF: 07 NOGALES 0028 ¶1. Amcit sixteen-year-old Britny McGraw after several weeks of being missing in Mexico, was located on March 1, 2007 by Mexican officials in Nogales, Sonora. Mexican immigration officials removed her from Mexico the following day into the custody of her mother, Suzanne McGraw. Post confirmed on Monday, March 5 that Ms. McGraw had safely returned home to Glendale, AZ. SYNOPSIS OF THE CASE AFTER INITIAL W/W CABLE ¶2. Following the return of Ms. McGraw to the US on February 1, Post's duty officer received a phone call from Mrs. McGraw on February 23 to once again inform us that that her daughter had ran away again from her home in Glendale, AZ. Mrs. McGraw told Post that her daughter had stolen her grandmother's car on February 1. The car was later found on Saturday, February 3 by the Nogales, AZ police. Ms. McGraw, however, was not in the area. Mrs. McGraw believed her daughter had once again returned to Nogales, Mexico and decided to report the case to us. ¶3. Conoff recommended Mrs. McGraw travel to Nogales, Mexico and file a missing child report with Mexican officials. Mrs. McGraw came to Nogales on Monday, February 26, and in addition to filing the report with Desarrollo Integral de la Familia (DIF), she also provided Mexican authorities with recent photos of her daughter to assist in their search. ¶4. On Tuesday, February 27, Mrs. McGraw called Post with information of the possible location of her daughter. Post in turned provided this information to Mexican authorities to facilitate their search. ¶5. Thursday, March 1, DIF officials informed Post that Ms. McGraw was in their protective custody after being found at given location. She was found along with another minor Amcit, Ivianna Rivera. The young girls were found in the company of several young men, all Mexican citizens, and in possession of drug paraphernalia. Post interviewed Ms. McGraw at the offices of the Special District Attorney for sex crimes, and assisted her in speaking with her mother. ¶6. Ms. McGraw was returned to the U.S. on Friday, March 2 and placed in the custody of her mother. Post assisted Mexican Immigration, U.S. officials at the border, and Mrs. McGraw in coordinating her repatriation. Post also assisted Mrs. McGraw in contacting State of Arizona offices offering services to families in need and in speaking with the Phoenix police investigator handling her daughter's outstanding stolen vehicle case. ¶7. According to Arizona's Child Protective Services, Ms. McGraw has runaway 17 times between 2002 to 2007. Mrs. McGraw told conoff that she believes her daughter may be involved in drugs and prostitution, but admits to her inability to control her. Post believes Ms. McGraw may return to Nogales, where she said she has a fiancie. Post informed her that under her current removal by Mexican Immigration, returning to Mexico without permission would be a crime. SHARPE