EXCLUSIVE:

CHILD WHO SAYS SHE WAS SEXUALLY ASSAULTED ON AN AIRPLANE WHILE FLYING ALONE SPEAKS FOR THE FIRST TIME;

INSIDE EDITION INVESTIGATES & FINDS THAT ITS PRODUCER WAS ABLE TO APPROACH & SIT NEXT TO AN UNACCOMPANIED MINOR WITHOUT THE AIRLINE NOTICING

Airing on Friday, November 18^th 

PLEASE MENTION “TUNE IN TO INSIDE EDITION” AND LINK BACK TO:

http://ietv.co/2fp5twM

New York, NY — November 18, 2016 – During any given weekend 300,000 - 400,000 children fly solo across the United States, with parents paying an extra $300 roundtrip for airlines’ unaccompanied minor programs, which are supposed to keep the children safe. But in an investigation airing on Friday, INSIDE EDITION found that air travel can sometimes be dangerous for minors flying alone.

Mackenzie, a brave 13-year-old spoke out for the first time to INSIDE EDITION about a painful secret. She said she was sexually assaulted while she was flying as an unaccompanied minor last June from Dallas back home to Portland, Ore., on American Airlines when she says she was groped by a man, Chad Camp, sitting next to her.

“I would never think this would happen,” Mackenzie said. “You see this stuff and you think, ‘That’s crazy,’ and it happens to you, and it’s just shocking.”

Camp was arrested when the plane landed and was charged with abusive sexual contact. He has pleaded not guilty.

Mackenzie’s mother, Rachel, told INSIDE EDITION, “You put your child in these people’s hands and you promise them that they’re going to be safe. You’re not flying with them, but you’re paying extra for somebody just to watch them and then it just all goes wrong.

He was able to touch her. He was basically able to do whatever he wanted.”

Rachel is now suing American Airlines. Their attorney, Brent Goodfellow, said, “From the beginning of the flight to when they found her crying, tears coming down her cheek and the man’s hand on her crotch area, was approximately 30 minutes. It was a horrible event for this young girl.”

“There needs to be somebody watching these kids at all times!” Rachel said.

American Airlines says they fully cooperated with law enforcement in Mackenzie’s case. They also said they care deeply about young passengers and are committed to providing a safe travel experience.   

In another instance, Jet Blue lost five-year-old Andy Martinez when he was put on the wrong flight by the airline while he was flying solo in July. Instead of flying him home from the Dominican Republic to New York’s JFK Airport, Andy was flown to Boston.

When his mother showed up at JFK to pick him up, they brought her the wrong child – another five-year-old boy who had her son’s passport.

INSIDE EDITION found that in the past five years there have been 244 complaints about unaccompanied minors filed with the Department of Transportation.

So INSIDE EDITION decided to put unaccompanied minor programs to the test. With her parent’s permission, INSIDE EDITION flew 8-year-old Alliyah Purdy alone on American Airlines and followed her with cameras.

Alliyah was seated in the last row to make it easier to flight attendants to keep an eye on her. But on the flight from Newark to Charlotte, an INSIDE EDITION producer was able to leave his assigned seat and sit next to Alliyah in an empty row at the back of the plane. He was even able to give her a candy bar while the flight attendants were passing out drinks. No one did a thing.

For INSIDE EDITION’s full report, tune in on Friday, November 18. Check local listings for stations and times at www.insideedition.com.

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INSIDE EDITION is produced daily by Inside Edition Inc. and distributed by CBS Television Distribution.

Follow INSIDE EDITION on Twitter: @InsideEdition

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