Jennifer Heath Box was mistakenly arrested and detained for three days by the Broward County Sheriff’s Office after returning from a family vacation aboard the Harmony of the Seas cruise ship. The arrest was triggered by an alert on her ID which matched a warrant issued by officials in Harris County, Texas for a woman with a similar name wanted in a felony case involving child endangerment. Despite multiple discrepancies between Box and the wanted suspect, including age, height, and physical appearance, she was arrested by Sheriff’s Deputy Peter Peraza, who had previously been acquitted of manslaughter charges and stationed to work at the port. Box was humiliated and subjected to strip-searches, shackling, and harsh conditions during her three-day detention.
Upon her return to port in Fort Lauderdale after the cruise, Box was surrounded by security and police, who informed her that she was being arrested for child endangerment. Despite her protests and the multiple differences between her and the wanted suspect, Peraza insisted that she was the person named in the warrant, leading to her arrest and detention. Box spent three days in Broward County Jail, where she underwent a full body cavity search and endured degrading treatment, such as being blasted with death metal music and subjected to freezing temperatures. She was released after it was discovered that authorities had mistaken her for the wanted suspect, but received no apology and was told that “stuff happens.”
The discrepancies between Box and the wanted suspect were glaringly obvious, with at least 10 major differences in their physical appearances and identifying information. Box and her attorney have chosen to sue the Broward County Sheriff’s Office rather than Harris County, as they believe multiple deputies and supervisors refused to acknowledge these discrepancies and made the decision to arrest Box despite the evidence that she was not the wanted suspect. They allege that the mistreatment Box endured during her time in jail was due to the failure of Broward County deputies to properly verify her identity and follow protocols.
The Broward County Sheriff’s Office maintains that Peraza followed appropriate protocols in arresting Box, and conducted an internal review which found no employee misconduct. Box expressed her frustration and anger at the humiliating treatment she received, stating that she has spent a long time trying to rebuild her life after the wrongful arrest. She and her attorney plan to pursue legal action against the sheriff’s office in order to seek justice for the mistreatment and lack of accountability in her case. Despite the lack of apology from officials and the dismissive attitude towards her ordeal, Box is determined to hold those responsible for her wrongful arrest and detention accountable for their actions.
Jennifer Heath Box’s civil rights lawsuit against the Broward County Sheriff’s Office highlights the serious consequences of mistaken identity and wrongful arrest. The incident has left Box feeling broken and degraded, with lasting emotional and psychological effects. The case also raises questions about the accountability of law enforcement agencies and the need for more stringent verification procedures to prevent such injustices from occurring in the future. By speaking out about her experience and seeking legal recourse, Box hopes to bring attention to the flaws in the system that allowed her wrongful arrest to happen and help prevent similar incidents from happening to others in the future.
