The owner of a Florida auto repair shop is receiving death threats from people who mistakenly believe he or his employees alerted police about an immigrant girl hiding in his shop.
Local news outlets are reporting that, aside from calls, threats against the Gonzalez Auto Center in Homestead are also being made on Facebook.
The FBI is investigating and owner Francisco Gonzalez said he is now carrying a gun.
Federal authorities say the Honduran 15-year-old had been taken into custody at the Mexican border three weeks ago when she tried to enter the United States alone. She was taken to the Homestead Temporary Shelter for Unaccompanied Children, where about 1,200 children are being held.
She ran away Friday morning and ran into Gonzalez's nearby shop, where police later found her hiding behind a large tool box.
Gonzalez said neither he nor his workers called police. He said officers searching the area came into his shop and spotted her. H
omestead police confirmed that account, saying someone near the shop had told officers she might be inside.
Homestead police Detective Fernando Morales said that if anyone who knew the girl's whereabouts had lied to officers, they would have committed a crime.