A Galveston County woman is behind bars in the Rio Grande Valley after she allegedly tried to pass a 12-year-old Mexican boy off as her own son.

U.S. Custom and Border Protection (CBP) officers arrested Africa Celene Chavez for aiding an abetting a the illegal entry of a minor into the United States on Sunday.

Federal court records show that the 36-year-old San Leon woman drove up to Brownsville's Veterans International Bridge with a 12-year-old boy inside her car.

Chavez claimed the boy was her son and showed his birth certificate.

Interviews during a secondary inspection allegedly revealed the boy was an undocumented immigrant from Mexico.

Chavez appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Felix Recio on Monday morning where she pleaded guilty to a misdeameanor aiding and abetting charge.

Judge Recio sentenced Chavez to 30 days in jail.

Court records show that that Houston-area woman could get out of jail sooner if the children in her car are safely returned to family members.