SANFORD, Fla. – A dream vacation at the theme parks took a turn when an Indiana family says they got to Orlando Sanford International Airport.
The family believes their rights were violated when they went through airport security with their extremely disabled son.
Jessica Carter says her 6-year-old son has spent most of his life in the hospital, so when he finally got cleared by his doctors to travel, and the family was granted a “wish” trip to Orlando to experience the theme parks. She says it was a dream come true.
“Just getting to spend time together as a family and go on a vacation together was amazing,” Carter told News 6.
Six-year-old Easton Ritchison was born with Cri du Chat syndrome, which comes with intellectual disabilities and delayed development.
“He is actually blind in one eye, deaf in one ear. He has poor vision and hearing in the other ear and eye,” Carter said. “He’s autistic. He’s nonverbal. He has had respiratory failure and spent nearly two years in the hospital on a ventilator, so he’s just had a multitude of developmental issues his entire life.”
At the end of September, the family was granted a “wish” trip. They hit the parks at Universal and Disney.
But Carter says things took a turn when they made it to Orlando Sanford International Airport and went through the security screening process.
TSA agents insisted her son be removed from his medical stroller, which is basically his wheelchair, according to Carter.
“He said he absolutely has to come out of it. He’s not allowed to stay in it,” Carter said.
Carter says she showed the agents a medical letter of necessity from Easton’s doctor. Being that Easton is “non-ambulatory,” meaning he can’t walk or stand, “it is in his best interest, and to ensure his overall safety, that he remains in his mobility device during any type of transport or checkpoint process,” the letter states.
“I went up to the agent. I said, ‘He’s not supposed to come out of that, I showed you guys appropriate documentation. We had it tagged.’” Carter said.
Carter says the medical stroller had been tagged by Allegiant Airlines, which allowed the family to check the stroller at the gate, so that Easton could remain in it until he got on the plane.
“His exact words were, ‘We do not go by what the medical stroller is tagged as, we make that decision ourselves, whether they will stay in the medical stroller or not,’” Carter said.
News 6 combed through TSA.Gov and it clearly outlines the screening procedures for people with disabilities and medical conditions.
“TSA officers will screen wheelchairs and scooters to include the seat cushions and any non-removable pouches or fanny packs,” according to the website.
There is also a video that illustrates what should happen if someone cannot stand on their own.
“...If you’re unable to stand or walk on your own, then you undergo a pat down,” according to the video which shows a man sitting in a wheelchair while being screened.
“We ended up having to put him on the floor because he can’t sit unassisted on a bench and we were having to answer to the demands of TSA,” Carter said.
News 6 contacted TSA and Mark J. Howell, a spokesperson, sent us a statement about the incident.
Carter says she has flown into the Orlando Sanford International Airport many times and loves the airport.
She says it is not the airport. It was the two TSA agents that were the problem.
News 6 contacted Sanford Airport Authority.
They also provided a statement:
Carter says TSA assured them the agents will be interviewed and there will be a resolution even if it’s just retraining.
Carter has also filed an Americans with Disabilities Act complaint.
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