She's the Belizean child who spent the last 22 days walking a dangerous path toward a very different life.
Her name is Ashley, she's 12 years old, and, now, 7News has spoken to her family in Belize City and her father in Texas.
Tonight we can tell you that that standard five student crossed the U.S. border and is just days away from making it into the arms of that father, who she hasn't seen for a decade.
But we'll pick up the story where we met her, in the midst of a group of unaccompanied minors. They'd joined forces to push ahead all the way to the U.S. border and throw themselves on the mercy of the US Immigration and social services. Cherisse Halsall reports.
It's the video that elicited widespread societal shock, a Belizean child unaccompanied and on her way to the U.S. border in the manner that Belizeans call "through the back".
It's shocking because she's alone, and compounded by the fact that she's female, a fact that unfortunately makes her journey doubly treacherous.
And if Ashley, a seemingly brave little girl seems undaunted that's because she's fulfilling a long-held dream, one that her sister told us about today.
Ashley's Sister
"Her dream was to meet my dad again because we never grew up with him so her dream was to meet my dad again to actually hug him and actually have time with him."
And Ashley has made a monumental effort to get that time, leaving her Belize city home just 22 days ago moving full force ahead into what she and her family hope will be a better life.
Things haven't been easy for the Saint Ignatius student whose had to help make ends meet by helping her mother with their boiled corn cart. In fact Ashley is a recognizable figure on George street riding along with her mother almost daily acting as a sales-person and often translator.
But many may be wondering how a mother could allow her child to make such a journey alone. It seems she didn't. She sent Ashley with an aunt. And this evening her sister told us that although she doesn't know how, they seem to have gotten separated.
Cherisse Halsall, reporter
"This video has been circulating of Ashley very opinionated, very smart speaking very clear English talking about her journey to the United States, how did she end up making this journey?"
Ashley's Sister
"Well my aunt came for her here at my house on a Saturday morning and then she just went but my mom gave the authority so that they can take her and the problem is because how my mother is sick so my mom can't be dealing with all of us so they decided to let her go with my dad."
Cherisse Halsall:
"And so, why isn't your aunt with Ashley?"
Ashley's Sister
"Well I'm not sure about that, I'm not sure."
Cherisse Halsall:
"So you're not sure how she ended up traveling alone?"
Ashley's Sister
"No I'm not sure about that."
Cherisse Halsall:
"Can you give us an update, when is the last time you guys had contact with Ashley?"
Ashley's Sister
"Well, I don't have any connection with Ashley, every information about Ashley my father is giving me but my dad is in contact with her everyday."
Cherisse Halsall:
"So what's the last thing he told you where was she when he checked in?"
Ashley's Sister
"It was with a social worker that was talking that's all I know about right now."
Cherisse Halsall:
"So she had crossed the border."
Ashley's Sister
"Yes she had crossed the border already."
Cherisse Halsall:
"When do you think she'll be reunited with your dad?"
Ashley's Sister
"Well, by probably the latest they told me is next week."
It's a remarkable story about a bright and courageous little girl one that isn't letting anyone or anything get in her way.
Ashley's Sister
"My mom grew us up with manners and things like that and we, my mother always was that to always be confident in ourselves and be patient with what we would say too and try not to disrespect others."
Cherisse Halsall:
"Now, how come you didn't make the trip?"
Ashley's Sister
"Well because I decided to stay with my mother because sometimes when she is sick she can't move, and my brother can't do that alone so I decided to stay with her."
We did speak to the father Milton Henriquez and he told us that Ashley has fought extremely hard to get to him, and asked what, if anything, is the problem with a father wanting to help his family get ahead.
He added that if any media house wants to report a story then we should report on the extremely difficult financial situation in Belize, that we should report on the hardships that his children have had to endure to survive and that we should report on a government that's offered insufficient assistance to the poor and destitute of Belize. We'll keep following Ashley's journey to reunite with her father.
