Black social worker accused of kidnapping white baby by airline employees, suit says

A Black social worker has sued American Airlines for civil rights violations, saying that airline workers accused her of kidnapping a white baby.

Shannon Murphy, a Black woman working in Riverside County, filed a lawsuit against American Airlines in June, alleging that employees took her off of a plane in October and accused her of kidnapping the toddler in her care. Murphy is suing for civil rights violations, false imprisonment, and negligence.

The lawsuit said that Murphy was traveling with the child from Fort Worth, Texas to Ontario, California after a two-week, court-ordered visit with the baby’s biological father.

According to the lawsuit, an alleged kidnapping had happened in New York City involving a Hispanic child with black hair. The baby in Murphy’s care had “very fair skin” and “blond hair.”

While on the plane, another passenger told the flight attendant that Murphy had kidnapped the child, according to the lawsuit.

Airline workers told Murphy to get off the plane or “physical force would be used to make [her] comply,” according to the lawsuit.

American Airlines employees took the child from her and Murphy told them about her job and that she had a court order and the child’s birth certificate, the lawsuit said. She was detained for an hour before they were allowed to re-board the plane with the baby, according to the lawsuit.

“I wanted to just burst out in tears, but I still had the baby with me, so I had to keep my emotions in,” Murphy told Business Insider. “There was a man next to me and he kept saying, ‘You’re OK; you’re OK.’ ”

American Airlines told McClatchy News in a statement: “We are reviewing the lawsuit and the details of the flight. 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.”

This story was originally published July 17, 2020 at 12:17 PM with the headline "Black social worker accused of kidnapping white baby by airline employees, suit says."