A Black Family Demands Answers After Their 11-Year-Old Books an Uber to the Airport
A New York family is demanding accountability after their 11-year-old autistic son was able to book an Uber ride to John F. Kennedy International Airport without his parents’ knowledge. Now, they’re raising fresh questions about how rideshare companies enforce policies designed to keep minors safe.
Jamel Johnson left his home early Sunday (June 28) morning while his family was asleep, according to PIX11 News. The plan was simple: call an Uber to travel to the airport so he could take a flight to Japan. The problem, however, became evident after Johnson’s family woke up and had no clue where the boy had gone.
His parents reviewed home surveillance footage that captured the 11-year-old carrying a suitcase and getting into the vehicle shortly before 6 a.m.
“Hi. Are you the Uber?” the boy is clearly heard saying in the footage. His parents quickly called the authorities.
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The family’s panic ended when Port Authority police answered the child’s cellphone. Authorities said airport employees spotted Jamel inside Terminal 1 after TSA officers determined he did not have a plane ticket. He was evaluated by emergency responders and reunited with his family unharmed.
While relieved their son was found safely, Jamel’s parents say the incident exposed troubling gaps in rideshare safety protocols.
“I was pissed, quite honestly,” Tenesha Johnson, Josiah’s mother, said. “He doesn’t present as an adult. He looks like a kid. Why would you drive off?”
Uber’s community guidelines prohibit drivers from transporting unaccompanied riders under 18 unless they are using the company’s teen account program, which is available only through authorized family accounts in eligible markets. It remains unclear how the child was able to request a standard ride or why the driver did not question whether the passenger was an unaccompanied minor.
“I just want Uber to be more responsible,” Johnson’s father, Jamel, told PIX11, “and make sure drivers are aware that you should never pull out without an adult.” The father continued explaining how traumatic the entire incident had become for their family.
“I don’t want another family to wake up like that again,” he added.
The case has reignited debate over whether rideshare companies should do more to verify passengers’ ages before trips begin. Critics argue drivers are often left to make split-second judgments about whether someone appears to be underage, while companies rely heavily on users to provide accurate account information.
On the other hand, safety advocates say those concerns become even more significant when children with developmental disabilities are involved. According to Autism Speaks, one in 31 American children has autism, including boys who are almost four times more likely to be diagnosed than girls.
Experts have long noted that some autistic children are prone to wandering, making transportation safeguards especially important for families already navigating heightened safety risks.
For the Johnson family, the close call is about more than one frightening morning. They hope it prompts Uber and other rideshare companies to strengthen safeguards that prevent children from traveling alone before another family experiences an outcome that is far more tragic.
The family said their only communication from Uber came after they disputed the $47.05 fare charged for the trip. According to the parents, they have since asked to speak with representatives from the company’s corporate office about what happened but say they are still waiting for a response.
