American Airlines backtracks on blaming 9-year-old girl in bathroom camera incident

American Airlines made a mistake by blaming a 9-year-old girl for being recorded in a plane bathroom. The airline is facing a lawsuit in Texas because a former flight attendant, Estes Carter Thompson III, filmed girls aged 7 to 14 using the bathroom in 2023. The girl's family sued the airline, saying they should have known about the danger. American Airlines initially said the girl should have known about the recording device, but later admitted it was a mistake by their legal team. The airline's actions were criticized as desperate and wrong. The incident involved a former employee secretly filming girls in the bathroom. The family of the 9-year-old victim is upset by the blame placed on the girl. The airline's lawyer said the girl's injuries were her own fault, but later retracted that statement. The former flight attendant, Thompson, faces charges for attempting to exploit children and possessing child abuse images. He was arrested and is in custody awaiting trial. American Airlines has distanced itself from the initial court filing blaming the girl. The airline takes the allegations seriously and does not believe the child is at fault. Thompson's actions were outside his job scope. The airline's legal team has faced criticism for trying to shift blame to a young victim. Thompson's case is ongoing, and the families affected are seeking justice.