Bridgetta Tomarchio, a 45-year-old single mother, recently found herself in a distressing situation. The situation happened when the police at Cincinnati/ Northern Kentucky International Airport stopped her and her 4-year-old son. The traumatic encounter occurred on suspicion of child trafficking as she disembarked from the aircraft en route to visit her child’s father.
While waiting in a rental care office, Tomarchio was under scrutiny as two officers started questioning her about her son. They informed her that they had received a report of possible child trafficking. Despite her frequent travels with her son and holding a companion pass, the officers requested a child identification.
Tomarchio recounted the incident: “Now, my son has a different last name than me. So, I also handed them my ticket, and I said, ‘Here’s my ticket, here’s his ticket.’ And they said to me, ‘Oh, he has a ticket?'”
In bodycam footage obtained from various sources, Tomarchio stands in a Hertz office. There, an individual, seemingly an officer, mentions receiving multiple calls and questions Tomarchio about her relationship with the child.
ALSO READ: Oregon Dad Accused of Drugging Daughter’s Friends at Sleepover With Laced Smoothies Surrenders
The officer’s voice on the bodycam recording states, “Okay, I don’t know what exactly is going on. But I guess a pilot was concerned about potential trafficking. I don’t know if something was said or what he heard.”
Emotionally downcast, Tomarchio shared with the outlet, “It’s traumatizing. I’m shaking inside, like thinking to myself, ‘What did I do?’ I don’t even understand what could have possibly happened.” Tomarchio recounted that her son, feeling cold, slept the entire journey wrapped in her jacket.
She mentioned that officers disclosed that the investigation’s initiation stemmed from a call by a Southwest Airlines pilot. According to the same outlet, Tomarchio found the situation “really messed up.” Following the incident, Southwest Airlines informed Fox19 that their investigation showed that their employees didn’t participate in it.
Responding to the incident, Southwest Airlines stated, “After further investigation, the information we have is that we determined Southwest employees were not involved in this situation. Calls made to local authorities appeared to have been placed by an individual or individuals not affiliated with Southwest Airlines.”
ALSO READ: Autistic 13-Year-Old Found Safe 200 Miles Away From Home
They further stated, “These are serious allegations, and we appreciate the patience of the customer to allow us to look into these claims. Our customer engagement team will be in touch with the customer to further discuss the investigation.”
Contrary to initial reports, a dispatch report from the airport indicated that “a pilot” appeared as the caller. However, the caller did not specify whether it was a Southwest pilot. After her traumatic encounter, Tomarchio is advocating for enhanced protocols within airlines to address the situation.
In a smart move, she initiated an online petition calling for all children traveling by plane to carry government-issued IDs. She aims to promote improved child safety measures and ensure families a more secure travel experience.
In addition, she shared with DailyMail that the unjust accusation humiliated and emotionally traumatized her. She also noted a troubled pattern of discriminatory behavior towards single parents, particularly those who have different last names.
You Might Also Like:
Aly Raisman and Paulina Porizkova Thankful for ‘USA Today’ Women of the Year Honors
White Christmas Actress Anne Whitfield Dies at 85 in Unexpected Incident
March’s Must-Watch: The 5 Biggest New Movies Hitting Netflix
Oregon Dad Accused of Drugging Daughter’s Friends at Sleepover With Laced Smoothies Surrenders
