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Family ordered to leave restaurant because of crying child Posted By: Caliboo818
Posted On: 07/15/2008
JACKSON, SC (WIS) - At first, Gail Martin says she wasn't sure who was yelling at her to leave the Buckhead Café in Jackson. It turned out to be Jackson Police Chief Dennis Rushton, asking Gail and her family to leave.

"I didn't know what he was doing," Gail's daughter Lauren said.

The family was just about to order when 4-year-old Alyssa began crying; she suffers from autism.

Gail says Chief Rushton yelled across the restaurant again.

"He said, ‘You need to pick her up and you need to get out of here now,'" Gail said.

Lauren is upset with the chief.

"That was very mean to say -- just very mean," Lauren said.

The embarrassment was too much for Gail and her daughters, who soon left the restaurant.

"I wasn't embarrassed of Alyssa's behavior, I was embarrassed of the way it was handled," Gail said.

Chief Rushton would not make a statement, but he did say he felt Mrs. Martin's daughter was being extremely loud and bothering other customers.

Even though he knew the child was autistic, he said he did ask the Martins to leave.

Gail says she feels like Chief Rushton should have been more understanding about what was going on with her autistic daughter.

"We can't just lock them up, they have every right to be out in public like everyone else," Gail said.

Now Gail hopes her story will bring more awareness about autism.

"If it can happen in a small town in Jackson, it can happen anywhere," Gail said.

Chief Rushton says he is open to going through training through the South Carolina Autism Society to help him better understand the condition.

Rushton also says his police commissioner has invited the Martin family to meet with them at City Hall.

The Martins say they are open to meeting with the commissioner.

As you can imagine, people have had plenty to say about this story.

Viewer Roger said, "The family should have known better than to take an emotionally disturbed child into a restaurant. When customers pay to enjoy a nice meal the last thing they want to endure is an uncontrollable child."

Viewer Amanda wrote, "I know what it's like to have one or both of your autistic children start crying for reasons that other people could not possibly understand. I'm not saying children with autism should get a free pass on their behavior. I'm just saying that people should be more understanding because most of these kids can't communicate their needs verbally."

I cant say I am shocked at the mentality of these people.

       
mercurymom wrote this reply on 07/15/2008
WOW!! again! Why can't the general public understand it can be a very nice normal day for us..everything in check..and out of nowhere comes the melt down..and if you let us deal with it...usually we can get it back to happy times QUICKLY if left alone! gish.

TonjaPadgett wrote this reply on 07/27/2008
It amazes me that people can be so callous. I know I've had to deal with stares etc from people when my son is acting up, but as of yet I haven't had anyone tell me to get out! I hope when that days comes (as I'm sure it will) I will be calm enough to make sure mama bear doesn't come roaring out and deal with it well. It's so hard when someone is being rude and mean to your child to not treat them the same way.

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