Mom Accuses Airline Of 'Misplacing' Her 2 Young Kids In Jail-Like Room

A Florida mother is accusing American Airlines of losing her two sons and leaving them in a jail-like holding room overnight after their flight was canceled.

Amber Vencill claimed her sons, identified as RV and JV, ages 10 and 12, were left without food, water, blankets or pillows in a room described as being "akin to a jail cell" when they used the airline's unaccompanied minor service for a flight that was supposed to takeoff on July 30, 2022, according to a civil lawsuit filed on October 31, which was obtained by the New York Post. The two boys were scheduled to fly from Missouri to upstate New York with a layover in Charlotte and Vencill's partner, identified as Ted, was supposed to pick them up upon arrival.

The children's flight was delayed and later canceled, with airline employees calling Ted to notify him that the children were in a "nice room for unaccompanied minors where there were beds and their own bathroom,” the lawsuit states.

“Ted was also provided with a telephone number that was supposed to be a direct line to where the children would be,” the document added.

American Airlines emailed Vencill at 11:40 p.m. on July 30, 2022, to notify her that her sons were scheduled to fly at 5:00 p.m. the following day, but she claims "conflicting information" left her unaware of what flight they were supposed to be on. A phone number provided to her didn't put her in contact with her children and she spent several hours attempting to reach the boys before finally being connected by a Douglas International Airport employee.

One of the boys informed his mother “that they had not had anything to eat or drink since the night before, not even a pretzel or snacks that are usually given out by the airline,” the lawsuit states.

“The room was freezing, and the children spent the night on a sofa with the lights on. Apparently, the children had been placed in a lost children’s room,” the lawsuit added.

An airport employee, who wasn't employed by American Airlines, finally gave the children food and drinks prior to their flight to Syracuse, where they were picked up by Ted after landing.