Over the weekend, a mother’s video of her two Black daughters being ignored by a Rosita character at a Sesame Place parade went viral. The video has caused the Philadelphia park to receive a ton of backlash. Since the footage was released, more Black parents have come forward with similar stories. Today (June 20), TMZ learned one of the girls from the original video is having difficulty coping with the incident.
The girl’s mother, Jodi Brown, has hired an attorney to investigate the disturbing treatment. B’Ivory LaMarr is representing the family and tells TMZ that one of the children seen in the video has been isolating since the traumatic event. LaMarr noted that the girl has been staying with her grandmother to avoid being in the public eye. Since the viral encounter, the little girl has reportedly been crying and confused about why she was treated differently than other kids. Once Brown’s footage was shared online, several videos surfaced of Rosita and other characters ignoring children of color.
In at least two videos, Black children appeared to be physically assaulted. One video showed a Black girl being slapped, another showed a Black baby being knocked down. According to LaMarr, the child’s family is working to place the little girl in therapy. A Change.org petition also demands that the identity of the performers in the costume be shared with the public.
Yesterday (July 19), CNN shared that a spokesperson for Sesame Place said they are trying to resolve the matter with the family. “On Sunday we did speak with and apologize to the family for the experience, offering a return trip for a meet and greet personalized experience with the characters,” a statement read. It continued, “We offered to refund her visit costs. That refund has been processed, but it would not have been received yet. It is not acceptable to us when children and families don’t feel special, seen and included at our park. Our performers work here to entertain and inspire all children — not to disappoint any of them.”
A press conference led by Brown and LaMarr is scheduled for today (July 20).