A mother raising funds for her law student daughter, who she claims has been sentenced to life in prison in Dubai, has had the family's GoFundMe page taken down. Mia O'Brien, 23, from Huyton, Liverpool, is being held in Dubai's central prison after becoming involved with 'so-called friends', according to her mother Danielle McKenna. The specific charges and circumstances of her arrest remain unclear.
Danielle McKenna, 46, launched the fundraiser to cover legal fees and support her daughter. However, the page was removed, with a GoFundMe spokesperson stating it violated community guidelines. 'Term 9 of the Prohibited Conduct section in our Terms of Service prohibits raising funds for the legal defence of certain alleged crimes,' the spokesperson explained.
In the now-deleted fundraiser, McKenna wrote: 'Mia has been given a life sentence over in Dubai and she is now in central prison. As her mother I am absolutely devastated. I haven't seen my daughter since last October.' She described Mia as a 'young girl who went to university to do law' and made a 'stupid mistake' with the wrong crowd.
The mother also expressed gratitude for donations received, stating the money would go towards legal fees and possibly family visits to Dubai. She told MailOnline: 'She's going through it at the minute. She's just been transferred to another prison after getting a life sentence. It's been a massive shock.'
This case follows that of Marcus Fakana, 19, from Tottenham, who was jailed in Dubai for consensual sex with a fellow British teenager. He was later pardoned by Dubai's ruler after spending months in prison. The incidents highlight ongoing concerns about British nationals facing severe penalties in the UAE.
