A family from Texas is making a desperate plea for the release of their son, who has spent the last nine months locked in a notoriously dangerous Mexican prison after a catastrophic GPS error led him to accidentally cross the border.
A Fatal Navigation Mistake
Caden Hawkins, a 23-year-old from Hallsville, Texas, was on a work assignment at an oil field on March 2 when his satellite navigation system misdirected him. He drove across the border near Columbus, New Mexico, and became lost while trying to find his way back to the United States.
His mother, April Thomas, recounted the terrifying moment she realised what was happening. "I am on the phone with Caden, and he starts telling me the speed bumps are so bad in this town he's in," she said. "Then the next thing you know he is telling me that he couldn't turn around. We hear men around him yelling in Spanish and we just tell him to do what they say."
Hawkins was detained at the Port of Palomas Border Crossing. Authorities discovered he was carrying a licensed pistol and bullets, which led to his arrest. He filmed the initial encounter on his phone before being handcuffed.
Life Inside a Notorious Prison
Hawkins was subsequently transferred to the Cereso Estatal No. 3 prison in Juarez, a facility infamous for severe overcrowding and violence. In 2023, a riot at the prison left seven inmates dead. Official reports from October last year stated the jail, built for 3,889 prisoners, was housing 4,196.
His family's ordeal has been compounded by extortionate costs. They say they have been forced to pay over $1,000 a week simply for Hawkins to have basic necessities like hot water, toilet paper, and some protection from violent inmates. Simply speaking to him on the phone has cost them tens of thousands of dollars over 267 days.
"This was something that, 'Oh hey I messed up and get a ticket,' not a year in state prison in a different country," Hawkins told his family during one call.
A Political Fight for Freedom
The family's efforts to secure his release through lawyers have so far been in vain. An appeal was filed nine months ago, but the Mexican court system may not review it for up to two years. Lawyers have indicated Hawkins could face a sentence of up to four years.
In a shocking claim, Texas State Representative Jay Dean alleged on Facebook that Hawkins is being held as a "cash asset for a corrupt federal judge in Juarez, Mexico." Rep. Dean and US Senator John Cornyn have both called for federal intervention, urging the public to bombard government offices with calls.
There was a glimmer of hope recently when Rep. Dean announced that Ronald Johnson, the US Ambassador to Mexico, has contacted the Mexican Embassy about the case. Dean stated he is "determined" to bring Hawkins home in time for Christmas.
His mother, April Thomas, describes her son as a fiancé, a devoted brother and uncle, and a kind person who would "help anyone out." She pleaded, "Please give me my baby back, he does not deserve this. My son is not a criminal; this was an honest accident. This has gone long enough."
The family continues to hold onto hope, praying for a reunion during the holiday season, while navigating what they call their "living hell."
