LAKE ST. LOUIS, Mo.—An undocumented immigrant from Mexico was deported after she allegedly tried to fraudulently transfer her newborn baby to pay a debt, according to ICE officials. “Human trafficking and smuggling exist everywhere, even in quiet, low-crime communities such as Lake Saint Louis,” said St. Louis Assistant Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations Gregory Paris. ICE says she gave birth to a child at Saint Joesph’s Hospital before giving her hospital identification wristband to another undocumented woman. The second woman attempted to falsely claim the infant at the hospital. The baby was taken by Missouri Children’s Division. Investigators say the woman, as the true mother, despite her persistence she wasn’t until fingerprint records confirmed her identity. Eventually, they said she admitted her actions were motivated by a debt to smugglers. The woman hoped to resolve the debt by bringing her other child from Mexico, according to ICE. Border Patrol has previously caught the woman five times in August 2022, including twice on the same day. Each time, she was returned. “We appreciate the collaboration with our federal partners to keep our community safe,” said Chris DiGiuseppi, Lake Saint Louis Police Chief. “Educating law enforcement, medical staff and the public on the indicators of human trafficking will ultimately aid in protecting victims and holding suspects accountable.”