Parents issue warning as missing son, 11, with autism was found at airport alone after taking Uber
Parents have shared a warning to raise awareness after their 11-year-old son was able to get in an Uber to the airport by himself, leaving them 'frantic'.
Jamel Johnson, 11, was found alone at JFK International Airport after he got an Uber ride there from his home in the early hours of the morning.
Authorities at the airport spotted Jamel as he was waiting in line for the TSA, and after being checked out by emergency services he was returned to his home in Valley Stream, Long Island.
Now, Jamel's parents have warned that although their son is safe the outcome could have been very different, and are querying why Jamel, who has autism, was able to get into an Uber car by himself despite the ride share app's policy that children are not permitted unless accompanied by an adult.
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Footage from their CCTV cameras shows Jamel walking down the garden path with a small suitcase, where he gets into the large black car and is driven away.
Jamel's mom Tenesha Johnson spoke about how they had woken up to find that their son was missing from the family home.
“It was a feeling I wouldn't want any other mother, father, brother, sister, aunt, uncle to ever experience,” she told News 12. “I didn't know what was happening. I didn't know where my son was.”
Jamel's father, who is also called Jamel, said: “We're literally in frantic mode at that point."
Tenesha questioned why her son had been permitted to get into the taxi when he is very clearly a child.
“He looks like a child,” she said. “Why would you get let him get in your car and pull off?”
Jamel said after coming home that he had wanted to travel to Japan, but couldn't get past the TSA screening because he didn't have a ticket.
His father said that the family now hope to raise awareness about this, and are calling on ride share operators to be 'mindful' of who is getting in their cars.
“It is really about getting the awareness of any family that has a child on the spectrum,” he said.
“This could happen to you. And Uber itself needs to be more mindful of not just allowing anyone to get into their vehicles.”
The Port Authority also shared a statement with News 12 about the incident, confirming that staff found Jamel at the airport's Terminal 1 at approximately 6.30am.
UNILAD has approached Uber for comment.
Kit Roberts