 15 year old Alicia Montalvo escapes the civil war violence in her native El Salvador to live in Los Angeles with her younger brother and crack-addict aunt. Her trials are compounded when the illegal sweatshop in which she works is raided. Escaping the INS raid, she is beaten by her aunt when she comes home without cash. At school, her bruises are noticed and child welfare authorities eventually step in and place her in a foster home, separating Alicia from her brother. At the foster home she is led astray by the family s other foster daughter and falls victim to a sexual predator. Police, pregnancy, the group home for pregnant teens, the house bully, rape and a shooting. It s more bad stuff than one human being should have to bear.