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Lawsuit: TSA Attacked Disabled Cancer Patient at Security Checkpoint

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By Teresa Lo

Posted on July 4, 2016

Memphis International Airport_Parking Facility_Front Elevation_Late Afternoon

Memphis International Airport. Photo courtesy of Walker Parking.

Summary: A family is suing the TSA and Memphis International Airport for allegedly taking down their teenager daughter, a cancer patient.

Deaf and partially blind, Hannah Cohen was filling ill and tired when she and her mother headed to Memphis International Airport on June 30^th. After receiving treatment for a brain tumor at St. Jude Hospital, she wanted to go home to Chattanooga, TN. At the airport, she went through a security checkpoint when she set off the metal detector. Agents asked her to do additional scanning, but she tried to run away instead. Her mother, Shirley Cohen, said that the disabled teenager couldn’t understand what was happening, and the TSA reacted by allegedly tackling her.

Related: “Video: JFK Airport Security Guards Caught Sleeping on the Job“

Shirley Cohen said that the “confused” Hannah hit her head as she hit the floor, and there was “blood everywhere.” Hannah was then arrested and spent a night in jail. While the authorities may have dropped charges, the Cohens have decided to file a $100,000 lawsuit against the TSA, local police and airport police. They stated that their daughter faced discrimination for her disability and that the airport should have accommodated her.

Shirley Cohen snapped a photo of Hannah as she was restrained. In the photo, the teen appears to be crying with blood all over her face.

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Hannah Cohen the day of the TSA take down. Photo courtesy of New York Daily News.

TSA responded by saying that anyone who needed special accommodations could call ahead of time to aid with their needs or medical situation. The other parties did not respond to media questions.

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The federal lawsuit also claimed that Hannah was assaulted and that the altercation left her with physical and emotional injury. The suit also claims that Shirley Cohen suffered emotional injury from seeing her daughter attacked.

Do you think the TSA, police, and airport police are responsible for damages if the Cohens did not call ahead about their daughter’s disability? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: New York Daily News