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Madison Cupp was just 13 years old when she and her family flew Delta Airlines from Memphis to Newport News, Virginia, in 2019. What should have been a happy, memorable trip turned into a nightmare for the family. As with many flights, the passengers and crew experienced turbulence. Cupp’s father held onto his young daughter to help ease her fears.
Unbeknownst to them, a Delta flight attendant saw something much different in their interaction and accused the dad of human trafficking. Now Cupp’s seeking millions in damages from the airline.
The incident reportedly occurred on the way to a graduation ceremony.
According to court documents obtained by People, Cupp, her parents, and maternal grandparents were traveling to her brother’s graduation from the United States Coast Guard’s A School. During the second leg of the trip from Atlanta to Newport News, the flight became bumpy, and Cupp started to cry.
She sat next to her dad with her mom across the aisle and her grandparents in front of her. As the turbulence occurred, Cupp’s dad “comforted his scared daughter as any good father would do under the circumstances.”
A flight attendant allegedly contacted the captain about the interaction.
Court documents state the unidentified flight attendant apparently became concerned by the interaction and allegedly informed the captain of an issue.
They believed Cupp’s father might have trafficked the child. Cupp alleged that without informing her family, the flight attendant asked for law enforcement and for the teen to be separated from her family. The flight crew apparently shared that information with the Delta station manager at the Newport News airport.
The allegations apparently multiplied.
Cupp alleged in her lawsuit that, in addition to human trafficking claims, the flight attendant also accused her father of touching his daughter in an inappropriate way. The flight attendant “supplemented her initial, false report of human trafficking by also alleging sexual assault.”
Per the lawsuit, armed law enforcement got on the plane before anyone could leave and “physically separated [Cupp] from her parents without warning.”
Police reportedly read Cupp’s father his rights and then interrogated him in a “public portion of the airport,” with no privacy and in full view of onlookers.
Investigators found no credence in the flight attendants’ claims.
Cupp’s complaint states law enforcement found no cause to arrest or charge her father with any crime. The experience left the young woman with “severe and permanent harm.” Cupp accused Delta and Endeavor Air of intentional infliction of emotional distress and false imprisonment.
She’s seeking $2.35 million in damages. According to Delta, all employees must act with integrity.
“Our culture of honesty and integrity builds trust. Delta expects honesty in your work. You must not be untruthful with, mislead, or attempt to mislead the government or anyone at Delta. Acting with integrity includes complying with all applicable laws of different countries, without exception. As a global carrier, we are subject to many applicable U.S. and international laws. We expect employees to bring compliance issues to Delta’s attention because Delta’s business and reputation are at stake,” the company states.
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