Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is under fire after its officers allegedly assaulted a disabled female teen at Memphis International Airport. The parents' victim has since filed a lawsuit against the agents for the physical injuries their disabled daughter suffered from the TSA officers.
Fox News reported that Hannah Cohen, 19, was at the Memphis International Airport with her mom to catch a flight to Chattanooga. She received a final treatment for her brain tumor which she had been battling with for a year, as per New York Daily News. The disabled teen was finally brought home.
At the airport's security checkpoint, Shirley Cohen, Hannah's mother, was puzzled that TSA officers won't allow her to assist her disabled daughter considering that Hannah is partially deaf, half-blind, and paralyzed. The next turn of events were horrifying for her as her disabled teen was bleeding after her head hit the floor (via Fox News).
However, instead of spending the night in the hospital, Hannah spent a night in jail. She was soon released, which her family responded with gratefulness but also with a lawsuit to claim justice for what the TSA officers did to Hannah in the airport.
When Hannah passed through the metal detector at the airport, TSA officers told the disabled teen that she was to be taken to a sterile area for further searching (via New York Daily News). Instead of cooperating, Hannah tried to run away from the TSA officers.
Shirley Cohen explained that her daughter was just confused and did not understand the instruction of the TSA officers. The officers did not respond accordingly and pinned her down the ground. This left the disabled teen with a bleeding head that Shirley was able to snap a photo of (via New York Daily News).
According to New York Daily News, the lawsuit alleges TSA agents of "causing her (Hannah) physical and emotional injury as well as emotional injury to her mother." In TSA's defense, the organization wrote in a statement that passengers are allowed to call beforehand to inform airport staff of a passenger's medical situation (via WREG).
The family is still filing the lawsuit, demanding $100,000 for damages done. As per The Guardian, Shirley Cohen did not see the need to inform the airport of her disabled daughter's condition, considering that they've been going to the airport for the past 17 years without any problem.
"Well, in this country we have the Americans with Disabilities Act. And if they will do this to a disabled girl, does that mean they'll do it to an 80-year-old gandmother? It's time for justice," Shirley said as quoted by The Guardian.
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