“Serial stowaway” Marilyn Hartman was arrested again at Chicago O’Hare International Airport after violating the terms of her parole by visiting the busy airport. She was apprehended before she could even try to slip through a security checkpoint. This marks her 22nd arrest for attempting to stowaway on an airplane.
Marilyn Hartman Arrested Again At Chicago O’Hare Airport
Hartman made national headlines after her arrest in 2014 at Los Angeles International Airport after successfully stowing away on a flight from San Jose, California. Over the years, she has been arrested a total of 22 times at airports across the United States and even in London Heathrow for stowaway.
After her last incident at Chicago O’Hare in 2019, Hartman had been confined by court order to a residential rehabilitation facility and was wearing an ankle bracelet that electronically monitored her movements. She began moving at noon and stopped answering her phone.
Police followed her to the airport. As she entered Terminal 1, a shrill alarm went off on her ankle bracelet. There, she was apprehended and is now back in a Cook County jail facing a new charge of felony escape (under Illinois law, knowingly failing to abide by the terms of confinement). Her next court appearance is today and she is being held without bond.
Her attorney, Parle Roe-Taylor, told CNN:
“She continues to struggle as a homeless person within a system that is not designed to adequately address the mental health issues Ms. Hartman presents.
Until this arrest, Ms. Hartman had been stable for the past year and a half, cooperative and without incident. Unfortunately, relapse is part of what happens sometimes during treatment. Relapses must be addressed through treatment, and not punitively.”
However the judge overseeing her case may not be so accommodating. Last year, prosecutors and Hartman’s attorney worked out a settlement deal that would have avoided jail time in favor of probation and mental health treatment. But Judge Peggy Chiampas made clear she would not agree to the deal.
Even so, she was released from prison during the pandemic due to COVID-19 concerns and had been living in a group home in Chicago.
CONCLUSION
What will be the fate of Marilyn Hartman? As Hartmans’s attorney notes, she “has not shown to be a risk for harming others.” Nevertheless, her repeated offenses will likely land her in jail this time for an extended stay.
What should be done to Marilyn Hartman, who seems wholly unable to stay away from airports? Is jail time appropriate?
image: Cook County Sheriff’s Department
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Poor old thing! One of the airlines should give her some travel vouchers so that she can enjoy some flights without fear. Putting her in jail isn’t going to solve anything.
She’s like the character in the movie ( played by Helen Hayes). “Airplane” or “Airport” ?
Marilyn Hartman is addicted to travel, and the only difference between her and Matthew Klint is a court order telling her not to.
And an actual airline ticket. 😉
Interesting. In some ways this reminds me of your profile of the homeless who live at FRA. At least she gets a meal and shelter in the Cook County jail!
Come now, Matt. When was the last time you had an “actual” Airline Ticket? 🙂 🙂 🙂
Ha! Well, depends upon how you define actual!
Time to euthanise.