Teen sentenced to prison in Cayman Islands after breaking quarantine rules is back in U.S.

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Tuesday, January 19, 2021
Teen jailed in Cayman Islands for breaking quarantine is back in U.S.
The 18-year-old sentenced to two months behind bars in the Cayman Islands for breaking quarantine rules is out of prison and back on American soil.

The 18-year-old sentenced to two months behind bars in the Cayman Islands for breaking quarantine rules is out of prison and back on American soil.

"Very excited. Happy to be home," Skylar Mack said.

Mack traveled to the Caribbean island Nov. 27 and, per island rules, was required to quarantine for 14 days.

But after two days in isolation and a negative COVID-19 test, Mack removed her wrist monitor, breaching quarantine to watch her boyfriend -- a professional jet skier -- compete in a race.

Both Mack and her boyfriend, 24-year-old Vanjae Ramgeet, who was charged with aiding and abetting, were detained and initially ordered to pay a fine and serve 40 hours of community service.

But after a legal back and forth, the couple was sentenced to two months in prison, ultimately serving 32 days.

"I got the first call, I think, that says she was in trouble. Her boyfriend called while the authorities were talking to her," her grandmother said. "You could probably hear him. He kept saying, 'please don't be mad with her. Please don't be mad with her.' And I'm like, 'but she knows better.'"

Now that her granddaughter is back in America?

"It's the biggest relief I finally slept through the night," her grandmother said. "And it's kind of hard to fall asleep when someone you love so much you know that they're not sleeping, and that they're uncomfortable and I know she's a tough girl but she had to be scared."