A family vending at Cumberland Mall during a bustling MLB All-Star weekend shared a disheartening tale of discrimination. Demond Crump Sr., alongside his family, claimed that mall management demanded their son, Demond Crump Jr., who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, could not accompany them, according to FOX 5 Atlanta.
In a scenario that unfolded amidst the throngs of mall-goers, the Crump family had set up a booth for their business, Reign Premium Sanitary Napkins, an opportunity birthed from a victorious pitch contest at Morehouse College. "We were being told that our son couldn’t be there with us, and we were like, ‘Why!?’" Crump Sr. recounted in a statement obtained by FOX 5 Atlanta. Yet, the family was reportedly told by Cumberland Mall management that only one parent might stay with their son while the other manned the booth, a claim that has since become the center of this dispute.
The Crump family's experience rapidly garnered attention when they took to social media to explain their ordeal. A video posted by the family has generated millions of views, as reported by WSB-TV, evidencing the widespread concern for the situation. "You’re saying that my son has to leave. And he’s like, ‘Yes,’ and I’m like, ‘What is he doing?’ This is my child. This is my son. He’s a human being. At this point, I’m really shocked," Desmond Crump Sr. said in an interview with WSB-TV.
Following the incident, Brookfield Properties, the ownership company of Cumberland Mall, issued a statement expressing regret: "This was a deeply unfortunate situation, and we regret our poor communication that led to this misunderstanding," the mall's spokesperson conveyed. Despite reaching out to the Crump family, according to a statement from the mall, the Crumps are considering their options, which may include legal action. "What he saw, Mr. McCoy [the manager], was a chair, and you didn’t see the human being in the chair," Crump Jr.'s mother, Qiana, told FOX 5 Atlanta, articulating the pain of being diminished to an object.
The Crump family asserts they are contemplating a lawsuit against the mall as they stand firm in their conviction that their son was unjustly targeted due to his disability. They have stated unequivocally that they will not return to Cumberland Mall, indicating a breach of trust and a sense of betrayal that has gone beyond mere misunderstanding.
