Skylar Mack, 18, of Georgia, was jailed for four months for breaking quarantine in the Cayman Islands
On November 29, she skipped out on a mandatory 14-day quarantine when her boyfriend, Vanjae Ramgeet, picked her up to attend a jet-skiing competition
Ramgeet, 24, was also ordered to spend four months behind bars for aiding the American in her crime
However, on Tuesday, the Cayman Islands Court of Appeals reduced both of their sentences to two months
The Cayman Islands, a territory of nearly 62,000 people, has reported more than 300 coronavirus cases and two deaths
An 18-year-old medical student from the United States is currently facing a four-month jail sentence after violating the Cayman Islands COVID-19 quarantine protocols for visitors.
Skylar Mack s family has already appealed to President Donald Trump to help her, according to a Buzzfeed News report.
A State Department spokesperson told the news outlet that officials are aware of the reports of detention of a U.S. citizen in the Cayman Islands. However, the spokesperson did not further comment due to privacy considerations.
Mack flew to Grand Cayman on Nov. 27 to visit her boyfriend, Vanjae Ramgeet. Ramgeet is a 24-year-old resident who was participating in a Jet Ski competition.
Mack, who is enrolled as a pre-med student at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, arrived in the Cayman Islands on Nov. 27 and was supposed to undergo a two-week quarantine as mandated by the government, which electronically tracks anyone who arrives in the British Caribbean territory. However, she broke quarantine on Nov. 29 when her boyfriend picked her up to attend a water sports event, Skylar s attorney Jonathon Hughes said last week.
After their arrest, a judge ruled the couple had to provide 40 hours of community service and pay a $4,400 fine. In addition, Ramgeet was ordered to a two-month curfew that would start at 7 p.m. But the prosecution appealed, arguing the punishment was unduly lenient and would not deter other possible violators. A higher court decided in favor of prosecutors, ruling on Dec. 15 that the couple be imprisoned immediately.
Family of U S student jailed for quarantine violation pleads for release boston.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from boston.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Teen Jailed In Caymans For Breaking COVID Restrictions Wants Trump To Intervene
Cayman Islands is a tax haven for the globe s super-wealthy. Photo: Reuters
KEY POINTS
Skylar Mack was sentenced to four months in prison after ditching a tracking device and violating COVID-19 isolation to watch a jet-ski competition
Her family is now appealing to the public and President Trump to get her out
Commentators abroad and online were less sympathetic, viewing her actions as typical American entitlement
The family of an 18-year-old American college student is turning to President Trump for help after she earned a four-month prison sentence for breaking COVID-19 quarantine rules to attend her boyfriend’s jet-ski competition.