This Home-Birthed, Homeschooled Teen Says She Can’t Prove She Exists, But The Internet Is Coming To Help

A 19-year-old woman has turned to the Internet for help because she says that even though she was born in Texas, she can’t prove she has U.S. citizenship because she says she has no birth certificate or medical records.

Alecia Pennington says she was born in Texas to a Fundamentalist Christian family. She was allegedly home-birthed and home-schooled, and she says her parents never took her to a doctor or hospital and never got her a Social Security Number, so she is so far off the grid it is like she does not officially exist. As a result, she can’t get a job, drive a car, go to college, or register to vote.

This is reportedly the blog of Alecia’s mother, Lisa, who writes about modesty, religion, home schooling, and essential oils. Lisa blogged recently about her daughter suddenly moving out of the family home, allegedly with the assistance of Lisa’s parents. Lisa does not explain much, but commented that she thought her daughter, “has been telling exaggerated stories about what is going on inside our home to a godless woman who has been giving her foolish counsel and encouraging her to deceive us and get out.”

Alecia Pennington maintains that her parents have refused to sign any documents or help her establish her citizenship. Eventually she took to YouTube to tell her story and ask people with similar stories to help advise her. She also set up a Facebook page and Twitter account called Help Me Prove It.

“I want to travel. I want to get an education. I want to just be a functioning American,” she says.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPtpKNyaO0U]

This story is completely bewildering. Many of the comments appear to be from people who are gobsmacked by the idea that this sort of situation is even possible, but it does look like the Internet is coming forward to help Alecia prove her citizenship. A few hours ago she posted on her Facebook page that a lawyer has officially agreed to work with her and help her find a solution to her problem. Hopefully one will be forthcoming quickly.