Father of 5-year-old detained in Minnesota disputes government assertion he abandoned the boy
February 2, 2026
The father of a 5-year-old boy detained by immigration officers in Texas denies abandoning his son. Adrian Conejo Arias is originally from Ecuador. He tells ABC News he loves his son, Liam, and disputes claims from the Department of Homeland Security that he left his child in a vehicle. Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Arias fled on foot, leaving his son behind. Arias claims he was unjustly arrested and is in the U.S. legally with a pending asylum hearing. A federal judge ordered their release over the weekend, and they returned to Minnesota.