Lidiane Carmo, Sole Survivor Of Family Killed In I-75 Crash, Won't Be Deported

The sole survivor of a family killed in a horrific, mile-long pileup on Florida's I-75 will not be deported, federal immigration officials said.

15-year-old Lidiane Carmo learned Tuesday in a Gainesville hospital that her pastor father, mother, 17-year-old sister and uncle were dead, reports WSBTV. The family came to the United States from Brazil 12 years ago, according to relatives, then stayed illegally when their visas expired.

"The Carmo family was in the United States illegally," Alonso Oliveira, a fellow pastor and family friend told CNN. "The family wanted to obtain legal status but had no laws to help them do so."

The Carmo family was on their way back to their home in Georgia from attending a religious conference in Orlando when smoke and smog from a brush fire apparently contributed to a massive wreck that claimed 11 lives and injured 18 people.

Relatives who wanted to keep the ninth-grader in the United States feared she would be sent back to Brazil when her undocumented status was revealed, but U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Barbara Gonzalez said in a statement the agency's "stated priorities include convicted criminals, immigration fugitives, repeat immigration law violators and recent border crossers."

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Miss Lidiane Carmo as she deals with the tragic loss of her family," Gonzalez said, according to CNN. "Reports of her facing deportation are completely false."

UPDATE: HOW YOU CAN HELP: the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports the Carmo Family Funeral Fund has been established at Bank of America by the small Brazilian church Lidiane Carmo's father co-founded in Marietta. Donations can be made at any Bank of America branch.

Additionally, the Florida Foundation is accepting donations toward the "long-term recovery funding for the needs of [I-75 crash] victims, survivors, and families not met by insurance or other funding." Text FLFUND to 20222 to give $10.

Comments

[Annette Hammond]

02:47 PM on 02/07/2012

Her Aunt and Uncle that are here in the US want her.They are here illegally too.They should send them ALL back.Then they can all be together.

[anti politricks]

03:20 PM on 02/07/2012

people like you are what's wrong with the world.

[92102]

05:56 AM on 02/06/2012

Conservative show their true colors and how down right mean they really are right here on this thread. Most of them probably claim to be Christians as well. Trying to justify your demands to send this girl back to Brazil by screaming "she's a criminal" might make you feel a little superior today, but it still does not make you a better person. Perhaps you should all ask; What would Jesus do?

[savanna2020]

01:29 PM on 02/07/2012

________Jesus accepts all people regardless of color, race, gender etc_______In this case California is broke with 33 million people in state and is unable to support with social services all the illegal’s and run operate state with taxes California takes in each year..______That's reality; we can't let this type of illegal activity continue throughout the country before country goes broke; that's also reality.____

[Julie Simon Thiets]

08:29 PM on 02/05/2012

My heart cries for this poor girl and her future. I will donate tomorrow but any amount seems so miniscule in light of this overwhelming tragedy! Thinking about how or where or whether she will live takes my breath away and I'm sending much love-stay strong...XOXO.

[Socqual]

06:57 PM on 02/05/2012

I can't understand the haters. If she was from Canada and was undocumented I am sure you wouldn't be making the comments you are now. You are always hating south of the border. And how many of your forefathers came to this country legally? They got off the boat and raped and pillaged the land and it's people. Do you see the Native American demanding to deport you all? Please... I am so sick of hearing how undocumented individuals are taking our jobs, exhausting our social services etc...Unless you actually work in social services you have no idea how untrue that is. Some of the biggest fraudsters of our social services are people that have emigrated here legally and fraud the system. I have seen it. Families on public assistance that want to cancel their assistance for a month or so while they take their family of 8 or more back to their country to visit. On top of that...Corporate America is to blame for outsourcing jobs and importing workers..not as you all call them "illegals". It should be illegal to outsource jobs unless the country that you are outsourcing to can reciprocate in some way. As many have pointed out, this girl was brought here not of her own free will. She is not a criminal. You cannot charge her with a crime that she personally had no control over. Have some compassion, she has just lost her whole family!!!

[buffalostance]

02:17 AM on 02/06/2012

I totally agree with your ideas of outsourcing. I'm tired of people using immigrants as scapegoats for our economic problems. Don't they see that companies are finding people who are willing to make even LESS money in other countries, and taking potential jobs overseas. Why don't Americans whine about that? BTW, here's a great article which explains the reason for some of the haters:)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/27/intelligence-study-links-prejudice_n_1237796.html

[Sandra Huff]

02:24 PM on 02/05/2012

I'm giving a donation to the church (although I'm not religious) for the girl. Tragedy happens. I think all you HATERS out there are just upset that something truly human can come out of this tragedy. Maybe she will grow up to help some of you HATERS one day. But you'll never see it because you're so caught up in your HATING that you won't be able to see the beauty of the cycle of LOVE.

[H21960H]

12:17 PM on 02/05/2012

So a bank robber who accidentally kills a teller in the process of a robbery so that his starving family has something to eat is now a good guy? Right?

[anti politricks]

03:23 PM on 02/07/2012

how is that like this?

your comment is an informal fallacy. a straw man.

a bank robber with a gun doesn't accidentally kill the teller his robbing.

go educate yourself.

[Hakapeszi66]

05:28 PM on 03/15/2012

I think you are out of your mind here! Did you understand the article, at all!!????

[icstars]

11:52 AM on 02/05/2012

I heard recently that overstaying your vida in the country is a civil matter. So I am really amazed at the vitriol here calling the family "criminal" and "fugitives.". They were neither. Think about it for a moment: criminals are people who belong in our jails and prisons. We don't throw people in jail for having expired license plates; we don't toss them in jail for expired paperwork. Nor should we. Immigration is a problem that won't be solved by shoving people into the prison system.

[TedEjr]

10:30 AM on 02/05/2012

This is an indictment on so many systems in so many ways.

1---The family was more American than many Americans. Religious, law abiding, trying to stay here legally, but without means to do so.

A---I have stated repeated, and I will state again, a major contributor to our Illegal problem is our Legal system. The rules and bureaucracy is so convoluted that it discourages the legal process. (Speaking from experience, and not me specifically.) This family's condition confirms my frequent rant.

2---They did not have, for whatever reason, Health Coverage. Now, the State is paying for her costs.

A---I am glad that it is. But, the followup is that the PPACA did not go nearly far enough. We need a major overhaul of our concept and method of the health delivery system in this country. As a start, we need to at a minimum declare health insurance to be a natural monopoly, and regulate it much in the same way that we do utility service. Or, direct that the insurance industry function as non-profit. Being non-profit does not prohibit them from making money.

[Hawkeye2010]

11:03 AM on 02/07/2012

1) Not law abiding, and you know it. They broke many laws to be here and to stay here.

[TedEjr]

02:12 PM on 02/07/2012

They overstayed their visa. Real big criminals. Really dangerous. I would almost bet $10,000 that you have done something more serious than that in your lifetime.

[anti politricks]

03:23 PM on 02/07/2012

they came here with visas. which means to be here it wasn't breaking a law. staying here maybe. but no credit for your first drooling.

[Hawkeye2010]

02:46 PM on 02/13/2012

It is bigotry to point out that someone cant get a license or insurance without ID? That is a big stretch. Since when is common sense bigotry? Just because the liberal fantasy of "non-criminal" illegal immigration gets blown out of the water, doesnt mean its bigotry.

[TedEjr]

03:54 PM on 02/13/2012

I just love opening a door and letting someone walk through to the hole on the other side. And you didn't just walk, you ran through.

Where did LIBERAL get mentioned in this discussion?

Your projection is showing.

[DARK STAR]

09:04 AM on 02/05/2012

If she were involved in an accident in Brazil, and there illegally, they would send her home, to be sure.

[Klabb]

11:46 AM on 02/05/2012

“To be sure?” I think you’re making that up!

Undocumented immigrants in Brazil enjoy the same social services as the citizens regarding access to education and healthcare, so at least she would receive healthcare after the accident.

After Brazil granted amnesty to its illegal immigrants in 2009 (the previous amnesty was in 1998), President Lula declared: “"repression and intolerance against immigrants will not solve the problems caused by the economic crisis"

I really doubt that the fine people of Brazil would send her home…

[DARK STAR]

03:51 PM on 02/05/2012

I think they would, even more so if she required expensive services.

To be in another country illegally presents its own problems and most countries, even the most "un-repressed" will not yield like we will.

[atalaia123]

01:00 AM on 02/05/2012

Don't idolize this land bc it belongs to God, if he made it rich, was bc of faithful men in the past. The problem today is that people are idolizing this country, their race or anything that has a symbol of greatness.... God said that in the end: "For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred." 2 Timothy 3:2. Please, look into your heart and let God do HIS will, not us do HIS will. Thanks and please don't hate, there's enough hate in this world. :)

**Just to give a little fun fact. This was on the news this past month:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDRcQnxxq2­Y

[atalaia123]

01:00 AM on 02/05/2012

ok, NOT MONEY from the US Govt, bc is something we brought it from the Europeans, ...we might be a country that some people might call it "poor" (I view it different), but we have this sense of class that we do not expose ourselves with pity. So, these lawyers screwed us up, thank God a great number of them are behind bars and so the opportunities of being legalized was closing down and also with the 9/11 tragedy worsened even more...If this girl was here illegal, it was not bc they wanted to, I'm pretty sure they did not come by boat nor jumped the fence, but by plane. Unfortunately the US immigration sector is one of the worst, disorganized governmental sector all. Don't get offended, but other countries would actually deport you on the same day if you were here illegal, which I can relate. But do not judge us for what was done, we are good people who's embraced on several countries. Don't confuse us with other emigrants who are always in the media, (you know who they are..). I hope some understood, it's a complicated issue, bc it's an issue where (mostly) Republicans tend to criticize. I know the feeling, I'm a citizen for quite some time, but be careful when you accuse and diminish all these people, bc "Cursed is anyone who denies justice to foreigners, orphans, or widows.' And all the people will reply, 'Amen'." Deuteronomy 27:19.

[atalaia123]

12:59 AM on 02/05/2012

I hope she does stay. Only a Brazilian who lives in the US knows the struggle of getting legalized. What makes a Brazilian different is that we come to the US to live a SAFER life, not a better life but a SAFER life. Second, Brazilians migrated to the US in the last 30 yrs, (A majority with money, bc at that time 1 dollar = 1 real). People just started coming and started finding their ways to get legalized. Unfortunately in Florida there was this so called "lawyer of the community" who ruined so many of these Brazilians who were here loaded with cash. These corrupted lawyers would get 10 to 40 grand from these Brazilians, always telling them that they have to pay in order to get legalized. It's sad that at that time we were a new group of emigrants without a leader or someone who could have guided us to seek the right people. So, don't confuse us with Mexicans, Hatians, or any of that group who are here to suck the milk of this country..NO! you look around in every Brazilian community, whether it's in South or Central Florida, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey or in Georgia, all we do is bring business and appreciate the values of this country, you know why? Because the "old Brazil" was so violent and corrupted that we wanted to go somewhere, even if it's in a different country with a different language, all we wanted is PEACE,

[royceturner2001]

01:49 AM on 02/05/2012

I don't know you.....but it is great to have you here. Our country needs more people just like you.

[atalaia123]

11:46 PM on 02/12/2012

Thank you, it means a lot. I surely think so too. Let's hope to make it happen.

[Proud Citizen]

09:35 PM on 02/09/2012

Can you please stop generalizing. Not all Mexicans or Haitians are milking this country. Included in these groups are American citizens.. people who are on drugs or are too lazy to take hard labor jobs. And please stop trying to justify your existence in this country, If you look at the news lately, Mexico is just as violent. I am proud to be from Mexico and know that I have worked hard for what I have and yes it has been a struggle for us to become legalized. Its a struggle for everyone, not just brazilians. And if you ask anyone here in the US the perception of Brazilians is just as bad if not worse.

[atalaia123]

11:42 PM on 02/12/2012

I'm sorry, I wish I could. Yet, you're right, it's not just Mexicans/Hatians, citizens as well, this include addicts, and lazy-bums, BUT, in this category, I don't see y not to imply these two large group of emigrants. Yes I see that on the news, ALL THE TIME, but you have no idea how Brazil was in the past, seriously, you don't. What Mexico still is, Brazil was in the last 15 years. More power to you, and yes, I go through everyday helping people with similar issues. I'm sorry but I would have to disagree with you on the last sentence, 100k Brazilians in the US is impossible to compare to 13 mil Mexicans, respectively. You might find a couple of incidents, but to say "is just as bad if not worse" then I would say you're bluffing. Just to give you an example and you can google it, in Framingham, MA where a great amount of Brazilians live, the mayor together with the police chief, gave orders for police officers not to check for immigrants status. Of all the places in the US, Framingham and another city which I can't recall, gave this ultimatum. Now if the ICE wanted to do that, then they would have to do it themselves. Why do I say that, well, Brazilians helped maintain the city stable. Sorry if I generalized, but when you hear in the news constantly that EVERY IMMIGRANT are Mexicans, then unfortunately, I have to say something.

[Lilliana Vegana]

12:38 AM on 02/05/2012

Why is everyone so hateful?... this girl has been in the US since she was 3 years old... this is all she knows, her parent's actions and decisions are not her fault. Put yourselves in her positions, you lost all your family, you are not yet considered an adult and you are about to be sent to a foreing country to you, you will also lose all your friends, your home and all you have grown up knowing. I would not be surprised if she gets deported though, this is the amazing USA and here even Casey Anthony is not guilty, because our legal system is just the greatest.

[usmarine32yr]

10:54 PM on 02/04/2012

How did they manage to stay here 12 years and not be discovered . Someone should be charged with abetting for helping them to break the law . Why do we allow these criminals to stay in our country ? It is not hard to come here legally .

[Van The Man]

11:41 PM on 02/04/2012

They came here legally...and just like MILLIONS of others--most from Mexico and Central America--purposely and by making a conscious CHOICE decided to become Illegal. And Every.Single. Day. they stayed here Illegally, worked Illegally, stole the identities (a felony) of U.S. citizens, forged or bought Illegal documents (a felony) or otherwise committed crimes. And, of course, the Federal Government CHOSE to overlook all of that. Scr*w the legal immigrants, the U.S. citizens and others who play by the rules. Why? For one reason and one reason only: in order to create a permanent underclass of largely ill-educated worker ants who will be--and whose children and grandchildren will be used. Brown is the New Black and the are allowed to enter and stay. It's the New Slavery. Mean while you pay the price of educating them in now over-crowded, dumbed-down schools, supporting them, providing them with free health care through hospital emergency rooms and on and on and on. Started Your Spanish Lessons Yet? Hurry Up, You're Gonna Need 'Em. And remember, it ain't over 'til the Illegal Aliens win. Your welcome.

[jesuslovesall]

11:13 PM on 02/05/2012

Our country? Or God's property! We will all past away, so what's really ours? We will all stand before God and explain our lives to the Father. Have a heart.

[usmarine32yr]

11:30 PM on 02/05/2012

God will already know everything ,he won't need an explanation . Yes this is our country . God gave us America just like he gave the Mexicans Mexico . Do you think God approves of the corruption in Mexico . I feel God wants the Mexican people to do better with their own country . How can we be so prosperous and Mexico so poor . It is because of the sin of the Mexican people .

[Van The Man]

05:33 PM on 02/04/2012

One more time: It was her parents CHOICE to make the entire family Illegal. It was her parents choice to overstay their visas. The parents continued--every single day--to remain Illegal by choice. If her parents had returned to Brazil, as they were require to do and they should have done, they wouldn't have been killed in the accident at all. Lidiane wouldn't be injured and an orphan. Her PARENTS are responsible for their actions and for putting themselves, the family, and the young girl in peril. Now multiply that situation by 15-20 MILLION Illegal Aliens who have exposed their family to deportation, separation, incarceration and, of course, we should make exceptions for all of them, shouldn't we. Oh, of course we should. And never, ever blame the parents for knowingly, purposely causing the problem themselves. That's Raaaacist.

[Sultry]

06:52 PM on 02/04/2012

I agree with you it was her parents who made the family fugitives. I also don't think she should be rewarded for her parents criminial activity. They were here If i'm not mistaken during the amnesty program. For whatever his reason daddy did not want to come out.