Melbourne woman Kylie Bretag is trapped in a filthy Mexican immigration detention centre. Source: Supplied
IT'S a simple travel mistake any of us could have made, but it's landed one Australian woman in a filthy Mexican detention centre with no idea when she will be released.
Kylie Bretag, a 30-year-old waitress from Melbourne, was arrested on October 20 at a checkpoint in the town of Tenosique after Mexican officials boarded her bus to check passengers' passports, according to her friend Natalie Wayt.
Ms Wayt, 27, was due to meet Ms Bretag in Cancun but was forced to return to Houston after finding out her friend had been detained. It's understood Australian consular officials are working with Mexican authorities to resolve the issue.
The nightmare began when Ms Bretag followed advice posted on TripAdvisor which said it was cheaper to cross the border into Mexico from California and take a domestic flight from Tijuana to Guadalajara, rather than fly directly in, Ms Wayt told news.com.au from the US.
Kylie Bretag was travelling in Mexico to celebrate her 30th birthday. Source: Supplied
However, Ms Wayt said border officials failed to stamp her friend's passport when she crossed over from California, despite being asked to do so. Without a stamp in her passport, the Federales who later boarded her bus claimed she was in the country illegally.
Ms Bretag, who recently completed a degree in public relations, was taken to an immigration detention facility where she now sleeps in a crammed cell, head-to-toe with other women and children and no access to proper bathroom or shower facilities.
Her friend Natalie Wayt has started a social media campaign. Source: Facebook
Ms Wayt, 27, says her friend hasn't showered or even seen sunlight in six days. "She's very scared. She doesn't speak any Spanish at all, she doesn't know what's going on, they're not telling her anything," she told news.com.au.
"At first she was still in high spirits, joking that it was a good chance to catch up on her reading and things like that, but she just doesn't want to be there anymore."
"She's very scared. They're not telling her anything." Source: Supplied
According to Ms Wayt, the guards at the prison have repeatedly told her she will be released "tomorrow" but it never happens. She says she's afraid her friend could be held for months.
"If her sentence is to be deported, why hasn't she been deported yet? The people at the jail tell the embassy it'll be Wednesday, Wednesday comes and goes. Then they say Friday, and that doesn't happen.
Natalie Wayt, left, with Kylie Bretag in San Francisco. Source: Supplied
"This time they say she'll be transferred to Mexico City on Monday — I said okay, what's the flight number, which bus? Personally I don't think it's happening."
News.com.au understands Australian consular officials are working with Mexican authorities, however the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade declined to provide an official comment.
Ms Wayt, who has managed to stay in contact with Ms Bretag through Facebook Messenger, has started a social media campaign to draw attention to her friend's plight.
"She was just trying to follow travel advice and save a few bucks. She has done her time — now she just wants to go home."
In a subsequent interview with MailOnline, Ms Wayt claimed Ms Bretag's phone has now been removed from her possession.
Her mother, Colleen Bretag, told Fairfax Media the family were "very on edge".
"It was a dream trip and it's all gone horribly wrong," she told The Age.
frank.chung@news.com.au
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