A mother upset at the TSA's treatment of her daughter posted a video online of the 3-year-old in tears after agents asked to conduct additional screening on her wheelchair.

The Forck family was headed to Walt Disney World, waiting to board a flight from St. Louis to Orlando.

The mother said Transportation Security Administration agents brought her daughter, Lucy, who has spina bifida, to tears after pulling her aside and asking to pat her down and screen her wheelchair.

The mom said the final straw came when the agents refused to return the girl's stuffed animal.



The TSA has since apologized for what happened, and the girl's family did make it to Orlando for their vacation.

"TSA regrets inaccurate guidance was provided to this family during screening and offers its apology. We are committed to maintaining the security of the traveling public and strive to treat all passengers with dignity and respect. While no pat-down was performed, we will address specific concerns with our workforce."

Lucy's mother quickly got out her smartphone and started recording the ordeal, angering one TSA agent who told her she was not allowed to record what was happening.

So, what can you do in that type of situation?



"Slow things down and ask for the agent's supervisor, and let that person come," said James Copenhaver, a private investigator based in Orlando. "Negate that and put it together, so it can be done in a private fashion for that child or person with special needs."



Copenhaver said if you or a member of your family has special needs, preparation is key. There are three steps you can take to plan ahead.

Call the airline ahead of time.

If you or a family member has a special need, let your airline know and see if there's anything they can do to make your trip smoother.

Notify a TSA agent before you get in line.

Start notifying agents before it's your turn that you have a special circumstance and situation.

Ask for a supervisor.

If you do get pulled aside by a TSA agent and you do not feel comfortable, do not be afraid to ask for a supervisor.

The TSA's website recommends passengers with special needs call 72 hours in advance to coordinate "checkpoint support." The toll-free number is (855) 787-2227.

Do you think the mother did the right thing? Comment on this story ▼ with your opinion.

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