Blake at the Mall

[Guest guest]

Oh boy. I'm going to need help on this one. First the mall security director was

more concerned about the fact that if someone is thrown out of the mall and they

try and come back then they are trespassing. Then I mentioned the Americans with

Disabilities Act. That was a conversation changer. So it's being investigated.

Well supposedly. I didn't get a call back today but I did call them and tell

them that Blake was on his way to the mall and that they better not kick him

out.

Sent from my iPhone

[Guest guest]

This angers me to the fullest!!!! What mall?Sent from my iPhone

Oh boy. I'm going to need help on this one. First the mall security director was more concerned about the fact that if someone is thrown out of the mall and they try and come back then they are trespassing. Then I mentioned the Americans with Disabilities Act. That was a conversation changer. So it's being investigated. Well supposedly. I didn't get a call back today but I did call them and tell them that Blake was on his way to the mall and that they better not kick him out.

Sent from my iPhone

[Guest guest]

Please consider posting the name of the mall where this happened. First, we all need to have our guard up should we consider going there. Second, if you decide to name the mall, I suggest everyone who read your email consider making a (polite) phone call or writing a letter to the general manager and letting he or she know that as consumers and parents of individuals with autism, we are not impressed at how his staff handled the situation.I am sorry your family had to experience this, and I commend you on how you are handling it. LeonSent via BlackBerry from T-MobileSender: sList Date: Wed, 22 Dec 2010 18:15:37 -0500To: Karp<deniseslist >ReplyTo: sList Subject: Blake at the Mall Oh boy. I'm going to need help on this one. First the mall security director was more concerned about the fact that if someone is thrown out of the mall and they try and come back then they are trespassing. Then I mentioned the Americans with Disabilities Act. That was a conversation changer. So it's being investigated. Well supposedly. I didn't get a call back today but I did call them and tell them that Blake was on his way to the mall and that they better not kick him out. Sent from my iPhone

[Guest guest]

Which mall?? I had a terrible incident happen 2 years ago at one of the simon malls. My son didn't want to leave the amusement area, and I started pulling him away. A security guard threatened to call the police for child abuse!! They definitely need to be educated

Subject: Fwd: Blake at the mallTo: " Karp" <deniseslist >Date: Tuesday, December 21, 2010, 12:20 PM

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

Date: December 20, 2010 6:37:21 PM ESTTo: Mom and Dad , Hunter Herskowitz Subject: Blake at the mall

Blake was asked to leave the mall today for being too happy. He was jumping up and down because he was excited. I wasn't with him-he was with his caregiver. Blake goes to the mall about 4 times a week so ever security officer knows him.

He wasn't touching anyone. He wasn't impinging upon anyones personal space as he was in an area where people were sitting. He certainly wasn't making too much noise as the mall was full of people being that it's only a few days until X-M'as. When asked why he had to leave, the security officer replied that Blake was jumping.

Too bad I wasn't there. I would have pointed out every typical young child there who was either crying, whining, laughing, jumping or making any other sound or body movement.

Unfortunately this was not the first time this has happened. It will be the last as I plan to call the general manager and do some education about autism and disabled people in general. I feel like it's 1995. I remember dealing with this stuff when Blake was little. But I guess we still have to advocate even though every other TV show is about autism these days. I put in a call to the security dept director and am waiting for his call.

[Guest guest]

That happened to me at a Red Lobster in Panama City. My son (six at

the time) had a meltdown in the parking lot as we were parking, kicked

my windshield and broke it. I parked and went around to his side,

pulled him out and held him so he could not hurt himself or me or the

car (I could not restrain him over the center console). The staff

and patrons came out due to the ruckus, and a waitress called the cops

because I was " obviously abusing him " . The cops recognized a takedown

when they saw one, said it was obvious I was doing it correctly and

that I wasn't abusing him, but insisted on having him sent to the

emergency room, because even though I told him he was autistic and

bipolar, and this was a meltdown, and I could handle it, and oh, by

the way I am a doctor and this would pass in minutes if they left us

alone, they felt I couldn't judge that, and he needed to be

committed. I guess they felt they were more expert.

I had no health insurance at the time, and did not want the ambulance

and ER fees when I knew they would not do anything. But the police

told me if I refused they would forcibly take him, so we went--wet

clothes, because while this was going on, they wouldn't let me take

him to the bathroom. The ER doc took one look at a child with a

psychiatric problem, and ran out of the room to call the peds crisis

worker on call, who happened to be his regular therapist. She came

in, saw the storm was over and said take him home. No one examined

him, gave him anything or changed anything. It took hours, and he sat

in wet clothes.

Result--not a danger, so no hospital admission, overstim, traumatized

by the negative attention, kept away from his meds for hours, late

bedtime, no food, wet clothes, and an ER bill in the thousands with no

insurance coverage. Didn't even get an apology.

>

> Which mall?? I had a terrible incident happen 2 years ago at one of

> the simon malls. My son didn't want to leave the amusement area,

> and I started pulling him away. A security guard threatened to call

> the police for child abuse!! They definitely need to be educated

>

>

>

>

> Subject: Fwd: Blake at the mall

> To: " Karp " <deniseslist >

> Date: Tuesday, December 21, 2010, 12:20 PM

>

>

>

>

> Sent from my iPhone

>

>

> Begin forwarded message:

>

>>

>> Date: December 20, 2010 6:37:21 PM EST

>> To: Mom and Dad , Rapke

>> , Hunter Herskowitz

>> Subject: Blake at the mall

>>

>>

>>> Blake was asked to leave the mall today for being too happy. He

>>> was jumping up and down because he was excited. I wasn't with him-

>>> he was with his caregiver. Blake goes to the mall about 4 times a

>>> week so ever security officer knows him.

>>>

>>> He wasn't touching anyone. He wasn't impinging upon anyones

>>> personal space as he was in an area where people were sitting. He

>>> certainly wasn't making too much noise as the mall was full of

>>> people being that it's only a few days until X-M'as. When asked

>>> why he had to leave, the security officer replied that Blake was

>>> jumping.

>>>

>>> Too bad I wasn't there. I would have pointed out every typical

>>> young child there who was either crying, whining, laughing,

>>> jumping or making any other sound or body movement.

>>>

>>> Unfortunately this was not the first time this has happened. It

>>> will be the last as I plan to call the general manager and do some

>>> education about autism and disabled people in general. I feel like

>>> it's 1995. I remember dealing with this stuff when Blake was

>>> little. But I guess we still have to advocate even though every

>>> other TV show is about autism these days. I put in a call to the

>>> security dept director and am waiting for his call.

>>>

>>

>

>

>

>