The mother of a young British woman, reportedly caught with 50g of cocaine and imprisoned in Dubai, has initiated a new fundraising campaign in a desperate attempt to bring her daughter back home. Mia O’Brien, aged 23, received a life sentence and a 25-year jail term following a swift trial after being allegedly discovered with £2,500 worth of the drug last October, according to her mother. Despite pleading not guilty, the law student at Liverpool University was sent to Dubai Central Prison, where she shares a cell with six other inmates. Mia’s mother, Danielle McKenna, established a new fundraiser for her daughter after her previous GoFundMe account was removed for breaching community guidelines.
After the deletion of the original fundraising page, Danielle shared her bank details on Facebook and urged people to donate directly to her. Explaining her decision, Danielle expressed frustration with GoFundMe’s policies and emphasized that direct donations would ensure she receives the full amount without any deductions. She extended her gratitude to all supporters for their contributions.
A GoFundMe spokesperson clarified that the initial fundraiser was deleted due to contravening the platform’s terms, specifically prohibiting fundraising for legal defense in certain criminal cases. In the original GoFundMe plea, Mia’s devastated mother detailed the distress of her daughter’s situation, emphasizing Mia’s lack of prior misconduct and urging for financial assistance.
Mia’s arrest stemmed from the discovery of the cocaine, allegedly found in a single large piece inside her residence. She was apprehended alongside a friend and the friend’s partner, all facing charges related to drug trafficking. Mia was sentenced to 25 years in prison and issued a substantial fine of £100,000.
In an interview with MailOnline, Mia’s mother disclosed that Mia regretted her actions, feeling she had jeopardized her aspirations of pursuing a legal career. Despite their limited communication due to Mia’s confinement, her mother maintained Mia’s innocence, asserting that Mia is not a drug user and had no intention of trafficking or carrying the drugs with her.
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