Las Vegas grandmother sues TSA after they 'forced her to do a strip search and made her remove a common feminine hygiene product'
- Rhonda Mengert had been traveling from the Tulsa International Airport on Mother's Day when her hip implant caused the metal detector to sound off
- Mengert - who has TSA Pre-check - informed agents that she had the implant but agreed to a pat down test
- During the pat down, an agent found a 'common feminine hygiene product that Mengert was wearing underneath her clothing'
- The agent then tested her gloves and found no explosive residue on them - as per protocol - but informed Mengert that she had to undergo more test
- In a private room, the agent and another forced Mengert to strip out of her pants and underwear so that they could determine that she didn't have anything
- Mengert's lawyer state that the woman suffered emotional distress during and after the event
- The complaint states that the grandmother routinely travels for work and experiences trauma associated to the event regularly
- She is requesting a trial by jury and is seeking a undetermined amount in damages
A Las Vegas grandmother is suing the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) after they made her strip and remove a 'common feminine hygiene product' before her flight back home.
Rhonda Mengert had been traveling from the Tulsa International Airport on Mother's Day when her hip implant caused the metal detector to sound off, according to a case complaint.
Mengert - who has TSA Pre-check - informed agents that she had the implant but agreed to a pat down test.
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Rhonda Mengert had been traveling from the Tulsa International Airport on Mother's Day when her hip implant caused the metal detector to sound off
During the pat down, an agent found a 'common feminine hygiene product that Mengert was wearing underneath her clothing.' She was forced to undergo an additional search in a private room
During the pat down, an agent found a 'common feminine hygiene product that Mengert was wearing underneath her clothing.'
The agent then tested her gloves and found no explosive residue on them - as per protocol - but informed Mengert that she would need to undergo additional search.
The grandmother had just left her family for the holiday when she experienced the traumatic search
A screener and another agent - the two defendants in the case - instructed Mengert to go into a private room so that they could 'clear the area.'
She was then allegedly told to remove her pants and underwear and to then remove the product for 'visual inspection.'
Initially refusing, Mengert eventually complied and removed her garments while exposing her genitals to the agents.
After she 'satisfied the screeners request' and proved that she wasn't carrying any prohibited items, Mengert had to ask four times if she could leave before she was allowed.
In the complaint, Mengert's lawyer state that the woman suffered emotional distress during and after the event.
'In particular, during the incident, Mengert experienced racing heart, shortness of breath, uncontrollable shaking, nausea, and panic,' the complaint states.
The complaint states that the grandmother routinely travels for work and experiences trauma associated to the event regularly.
In the complaint, Mengert's lawyer state that the woman suffered emotional distress during and after the event
She is requesting a trial by jury and is seeking a undetermined amount in damages.
Mengert also hopes to receive 'injunctive relief requiring the U.S. Transportation Security Administration to direct its employees that they may not strip search passengers to clear apparent feminine hygiene products without the further heightened suspicion as required by law (or alternatively, under any circumstances).'
She is requesting a trial by jury and is seeking a undetermined amount in damages
The grandmother added on Facebook: 'I want to advocate for changes in policies, procedures, training and oversight of TSA Checkpoint procedures.'
She is being represented by Jonathan Corbett and Melissa Oxford.
They are claiming that TSA violated Mengert's Fourth Amendment rights.
Mengert explained to Las Vegas Now that she was stunned by the whole ordeal.
'I was accosted. I had no personal ability to protect myself against them; they took it away,' Mengert said. 'It's gone too far. It's overreach. It's too much.'
TSA released a statement saying that they do not do 'strip searches.'
'Due to pending litigation, we can not comment on the specifics of this case, the statement reads. 'TSA does not conduct strip searches and is committed to ensuring the safety of travelers.'
