Haitian woman sentenced for carrying human skull in luggage

A Haitian woman was sentenced yesterday to two years of probation for carrying a human skull in her luggage into the US.

The remains were found when Myrlene Severe, 30, a permanent US resident, arrived at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in February from Haiti. She told authorities she intended to use it as part of her Voodoo beliefs.

She faced up to 15 years in prison after being charged with smuggling a human head into the US without proper documentation, failure to declare the head and transporting hazardous material in air commerce.

A plea deal allowed her to plead guilty in April to a misdemeanour charge of improper storage of human remains.

“She’s happy with the result and she’d like to move on with her life,” Hassett said. “She would like to become a US citizen. She will continue her belief.”