WASHINGTON – The Transportation Security Administration apologized to a Missouri family after detaining a 3-year-old disabled girl and telling her mother it was illegal to videotape the incident.
TSA agents at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport detained the wheelchair-bound girl earlier this month to pat her down, X-ray her stuffed animal Lamby and swab down her wheelchair.
The child, who has Spina bifida, sobbed as the agents took away her stuffed animal.
When mom Annie Forck began videotaping what was going on, a TSA agent told her it was illegal to do so.
“TSA regrets inaccurate guidance was provided to this family during screening and offers its apology,” a TSA spokesman told Fox News.
“We are committed to maintaining the security of the traveling public and strive to treat all passengers with dignity and respect.”
The child’s father, Nathan Forck, told Fox News the family of five on their way to Disney World had already gone through a TSA checkpoint when the child was singled out for screening. The dad said TSA told the family the child was singled out because she was in a wheelchair.
As the little girl cried, Annie Forck explained to the TSA agent that she did not allow anyone touch her daughter.
After discussing what to do, agents did not pat down the child.
The ordeal lasted about a half-hour.
Here’s the video the family posted on YouTube:
