Boise Mayor Criticized After Tragic Death of Young Girl

Boise Mayor Lauren MacLean is under fire for her response to the tragic death of an 8-year-old girl, Maura Gerety, who was killed by an illegal immigrant. This incident has sparked a debate about immigration issues, which the mayor seemed to avoid in her official statement.

Reports indicate that Gerety was struck while crossing Harrison Boulevard. The driver involved, Elvin Ramos Caballero, is an undocumented immigrant from Honduras. He has a history with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), having crossed the Texas border illegally in 2015 and subsequently failing to appear for court, resulting in a deportation order in 2016.

“There’s no mention of her name,” one observer noted. “No mention of the person who murdered her. There’s no mention of working to improve immigration. That’s ridiculous.”

In her statement, Mayor MacLean emphasized the need for safety in the city, claiming, “Every child in Boise should be able to walk out their front door, safely explore their neighborhood, and head home for dinner.” However, she did not address the immigration status of the driver.

The Idaho Freedom Foundation expressed harsh criticism, stating, “Mayor MacLean’s response to Maura Gerety’s death is the most pathetic response imaginable,” and highlighted the lack of acknowledgment regarding the girl’s name or the driver’s immigration status.

This criticism isn’t the first for MacLean, who faced backlash previously when she chose to continue flying the LGBTQ flag at Boise Depot, going against state law.

In the wake of this tragedy, many in the community came together to support Gerety’s family during a vigil. A woman, identified only as Maggie, shared that her son, who is the principal at Gerety’s school, mentioned that she was a lovely and kind girl.