There are a lot of bad people in this world who want to harm children. But it seems sometimes that society has gone off the deep end in its inherent distrust of fathers.
Henry Amador-Batten was flying from Newark to Raleigh-Durham last Saturday on United. A FA felt that his hand was too close to his son’s genitals and called the cops. Police officers met Amador-Batten upon landing, interviewed him, and eventually released him.
Amador-Batten claimed that his 5-year-old son was afraid of flying and he was simply cradling him in his lap so that the child could sleep. Police must have agreed because he was soon on his way.
You’d think that a FA would at least approach the customer before turning the police on him, but the father was never approached. The FA never said anything or let on that he had radioed ahead to the ground in RDU.
Here’s a more on the story–
Better Safe Than Sorry?
To those who say “better safe than sorry” I ask the following question: really? If I cuddle my son on a flight it is better for the police to detain me to ensure I am not a pedophile rather than…perhaps…just ask me if this was my son? Is there any more innocent than child resting in the arms of his parents?
United stated–
Our customers should always be treated with utmost respect. We have followed up with the customers directly and we apologized for the situation.
Fine. But the damage is done. The police interviewed the father just outside the jet bridge, humiliating him in front of other passengers. That sort of thing is not just a mistake–it is unacceptable.
It is very disturbing. My own father did the same thing with me when I was five, and it is simply a father fathering his son. Sexual assault, especially against children, is a despicable and unforgivable act, but human beings should be able to tell the difference between assault and a father son relationship if they are in proximity to the pair for longer than 3 minutes.
Maybe because the son is not with father and mother, but with father and father? It seems that mo matter people sugarcoating it, the concept of gay marriage is still not easy to accept it society…..
Did I miss something or where is said that this are two gay parents?
Should that matter?
No absolutely not, I’m just surprised James brought it up because I don’t see the connection
I deliberately did not mention it, but that could certainly be the culprit. Then again, it was just a father (not both fathers) and son, so I don’t see how the FA would know.
I’m going to speak to another aspect of the story. I don’t think the association of this incident to United Airlines is appropriate. It seems as if the flight attendant or attendants acted more like bystandards ‘saying something because they saw something’ as opposed to people acting in their capacity as flight attendants. I don’t blame the airline because a person chose to do something they thought was the right thing (I understand this assumes motive). The story loses impact for me because there is a lawsuit. Feels like a cash grab.
Bullseye? Lol.