Carmen Mejia, 54, a Honduran immigrant, was declared "actually innocent" by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals on March 9, after 22 years of being convicted of murder.

The Department of Homeland Security confirmed today that Mejia will be allowed to remain legally in the US, following her exoneration.

After signing the order, the judge instructed the judicial officers overseeing Mejia to step back and allow her to embrace her three daughters. They gathered around their mother in the silent courtroom, feeling the embrace after more than two decades, and wept.

Carmen Mejia cries upon her exoneration. Photo: People

Mejia arrived in the US in 1995 and had legal residency and work permits before her conviction.

The incident occurred on 28/7/2003, when she was alone caring for her four children in a rented house in Austin. While she was feeding her youngest child, her eldest daughter attempted to bathe her 10-month-old brother.

The water heater in Mejia's rented home lacked safety features, and the bathwater reached a temperature of 147,8 degrees F (approximately 62 degrees C).

The baby sustained third-degree burns within seconds of contact with the water, according to a press release. The child later died at the hospital. Mejia was convicted in 2005 and sentenced to life in prison.

During Mejia's trial, prosecutors relied on expert testimony suggesting that the injuries could only have occurred if an adult had intentionally held the child in the water, the press release stated.

After many years, with assistance from organizations advocating for sentence reviews, the case was re-examined.

In subsequent hearings, Mejia's eldest daughter testified that she was in the bathtub when she turned on the faucet. She stated that her mother was not present in the bathroom at that time, as reported by the Travis County District Attorney's Office in a press release.

An expert also testified that homes built before the 1980s, such as Mejia's rented house, lacked recommended plumbing safety features designed to prevent scalding. Another expert testified that the water temperature in the bathtub could cause burns in mere seconds.

Experts also determined that the injuries were consistent with accidental burns.

An assistant district attorney stated after the hearing: "We acknowledge that the prosecutor's office failed in its duty to her. We pursued her conviction, and now we understand it was a tragic accident, and that oversight cost her 20 years of her life."

Carmen Mejia emotionally said: "For the past 20 years, I have always maintained my faith and hope. I want to thank everyone who stood with me in this moment and thank the fair judge."

Hai Thu (According to NBC, Fox7, People)