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Black Social Worker Sues American Airlines for Detaining Her After a Passenger Accused Her of Kidnapping a White Child In Her Care

A California Black social worker is suing American Airlines for detaining her after they claimed she had kidnapped a white child who was in her professional care.

Court documents state Sharon Murphy is a social worker who has been employed with the Riverside County Department of Public Social Services’ Children’s Services Division since 1999, per The Press-Enterprise. On Oct. 29, 2019, she was on a flight from Fort Worth, Texas, to Ontario, California, with a 1-year-old white child who had completed a court-ordered visit with his father. Another passenger reportedly told a flight attendant “that Ms. Murphy was holding a kidnap victim,” according to the suit, which was filed June 17 in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

American Airlines is being sued for detaining a Black social worker after another passenger accused her of kidnapping her 1-year-old white client. (Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Airline workers reportedly approached Murphy and demanded she surrendered the child. Murphy had identification, the child’s birth certificate and a court order but the employees “took the boy from Murphy’s arms and threatened her with force if she didn’t comply,” the papers state. She was held for about an hour before she could re-board the plane.

The child in Murphy’s care was confused for another missing child, the suit alleged, even though the other child is Hispanic and 5 years old.

Murphy accused American Airlines of violating her civil rights, negligence and false imprisonment. The court papers state she has suffered from nightmares and insomnia since the encounter.

“Had American Airline(s) (researched the matter) first prior to hauling Plaintiff, Ms. Murphy, off the plane and detaining her and the one-year-old Caucasian male dependent, Ms. Murphy would not have suffered the mental, physical and psychological harm flight personnel inflicted upon her,” the lawsuit said, according to The New York Post.

She wants unspecified damages and compensation for her medical expenses. American Airlines acknowledged the lawsuit in a statement to several media outlets.

“We are reviewing the lawsuit and the details of the flight,” the statement read. “We take the safety and comfort of our customers very seriously and we’re committed to providing a positive experience for everyone who travels with us.”

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