The mother of a young British citizen, who was reportedly discovered with 50g of cocaine and imprisoned in Dubai, has initiated a new fundraising campaign in an urgent effort to secure her daughter’s return.
Mia O’Brien, aged 23, received a life sentence and a 25-year jail term after a swift trial where she was accused of possessing £2,500 worth of the Class A substance in October, as per her mother’s account. Despite pleading not guilty, the law student from Liverpool University was placed in Dubai Central Prison and now resides with six other detainees. Mia’s mother has launched a fresh fundraiser for her daughter following the removal of her prior GoFundMe account.
Danielle McKenna, the student’s mother, had her initial fundraising page taken down for infringing community guidelines. She has now shared her bank details on Facebook, urging individuals to contribute directly to assist her cause.
Expressing her frustration, Danielle stated, “I am planning to establish my own fundraising initiative, as GoFundMe has been overly critical of our efforts.” She mentioned that direct donations would enable her to retain the entirety of the funds without any deductions to GoFundMe. She expressed gratitude, saying, “I sincerely appreciate everyone’s support.”
Regarding the deletion of the original fundraiser, a GoFundMe spokesperson explained that it violated their Prohibited Conduct policy, specifically Term 9, which prohibits raising funds for legal defense in certain criminal cases.
In the former GoFundMe page, Mia’s distraught mother wrote, “Mia has been sentenced to life in Dubai and is currently in central prison. As a mother, I am devastated beyond words. I haven’t seen my daughter since last October.”
“Mia, at only 23 years old, has never been involved in any wrongdoing. She went to university to study law but unfortunately fell in with the wrong crowd, making a grave error for which she is now paying dearly.”
Mia was apprehended when the cocaine was discovered inside her residence in a single large quantity. She was arrested alongside a friend and the friend’s boyfriend, all facing charges related to drug trafficking. Mia received a 25-year sentence and a substantial fine of £100,000.
Mia’s mother, speaking to the MailOnline, disclosed, “Mia is devastated as she had aspirations to pursue a career in law. Our conversations are limited due to phone restrictions. She made a foolish decision while visiting a friend and their partner in Dubai.”
According to Mia’s mother, Mia does not use drugs and has never been in trouble before. She also believes that her daughter did not have intentions of selling or transporting the drugs.
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