John McCain's widow is slammed for calling cops on 'woman of different ethnicity trafficking a baby' at Phoenix airport - who turned out to be completely innocent
- Cindy McCain apologized on Twitter on Wednesday after she told a radio station that a woman of a 'different ethnicity' was trafficking a baby
- She said she alerted police at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport last Thursday of the suspected human trafficking
- But police said that there was no evidence of criminal conduct or endangerment of a child
- Twitter users were outraged at McCain's comments and noted that she has an adopted daughter from Bangladesh
- Do you know the woman who McCain reported? Email hannah.parry@mailonline.com
The widow of the late Senator John McCain has apologized after Phoenix Police refuted her claim that a woman of a ‘different ethnicity’ than her toddler was engaged in human trafficking.
The controversy erupted on Monday when Cindy McCain told a local radio station in Phoenix that she asked police to conduct a welfare check on a child at Sky Harbor International Airport on Thursday of last week.
‘I came in from a trip I’d been on and I spotted - it looked odd - it was a woman of a different ethnicity than the child, this little toddler she had, and something didn’t click with me,’ McCain told KTAR News 92.3FM on Monday.
‘I tell people “Trust your gut.”
Cindy McCain, the widow of late Senator John McCain, told a Phoenix radio station on Monday that she witnessed a case of human trafficking at the local airport and that she alerted police, who conducted a welfare check on the child who was of a 'different ethnicity' than the mother
Many Twitter users noted it was ironic for McCain to suspect a woman of a different race than her child of trafficking given that the McCain family adopted a young girl from Bangladesh. Bridget McCain (right) was adopted by the McCains from an orphanage in Bangladesh
Phoenix police released a statement saying that a welfare check on the child was conducted and no criminal behavior was suspected. Sky Harbor International Airport is seen in the above stock image
McCain’s comments about a ‘woman of a different ethnicity’ whom she suspected of human trafficking outraged users of social media, prompting her to tweet an apology on Wednesday
CINDY MCCAIN AUDIO ABOUT HUMAN TRAFFICKING STARTS AT 8:15
‘I went over to the police and told them what I saw and they went over and questioned her and, by God, she was trafficking that kid.
‘She was waiting for the guy who bought the child to get off the airplane.’
Phoenix police on Wednesday released information saying that a welfare check on the child was conducted at McCain’s request, but that no criminal behavior or child endangerment was suspected, KPNX-TV reported.
McCain’s comments about a ‘woman of a different ethnicity’ whom she suspected of human trafficking outraged users of social media, prompting her to tweet an apology on Wednesday.
‘At Phoenix Sky Harbor, I reported an incident that I thought was trafficking,’ she tweeted on Wednesday.
‘I commend the police officers for their diligence. I apologize if anything else I have said on this matter distracts from “if you see something, say something”.’
Cindy McCain is the widow of the late U.S. Senator John McCain, who died this past August after he was diagnosed with brain cancer
Cindy McCain has sought to raise public awareness about the dangers of human trafficking.
Twitters users were nonetheless outraged.
‘Which airports do you prefer?’ one Twitter user asked McCain. ‘You know, just so my multi-ethnic family knows which ones to avoid.’
‘Can you apologize to the family on here? Because that would be way better,’ tweeted another Twitter user.
‘You spelled "I'm a big fat liar" wrong,’ tweeted one angry critic.
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‘You spelled "I'm a big fat liar" wrong,’ tweeted one angry critic
Cindy McCain has sought to raise public awareness about the dangers of human trafficking. Twitters users were nonetheless outraged
‘Which airports do you prefer?’ one Twitter user asked McCain. ‘You know, just so my multi-ethnic family knows which ones to avoid’
Another Twitter user tweeted: ‘Cindy McCain proves what an ignorant a*****e she is’
‘Cindy McCain literally has a daughter she adopted from Bangladesh, wtf,’ tweeted another Twitter user
‘I travel through this and other airports,’ tweeted one Twitter user. ‘I have three adopted black children including two toddlers. No one needs Cindy McCain or anyone else policing families of mixed ethnicity’
'What did she actually see? Nothing but a family that didn't "look right",' tweeted one Twitter user
Another Twitter user noted: 'Cindy McCain has an adopted daughter that sure doesn't look a thing like her either. RIDICULOUS'
This Twitter user accused McCain of 'profiling' a 'mixed couple and their child...and then lied and slandered the family'
'Cindy McCain "profiles" a mixed-race family at an airport...and brags as if it were a good thing,' this Twitter user claimed
Mike McMahon tweeted: 'Other people's racially diverse families don't pass your "some didn't click test? You take credit for non-existent trafficking and this is the closest you can get to an apology? Frightening and pathetic.'
A Twitter user tweeted: 'I really like how Cindy McCain's apology isn't to the innocent family she racially profiled and then libeled as criminal traffickers, but is instead for whatever harm she may have done to the abstract concept of reactionary bigotry as law enforcement tool'
Another Twitter user tweeted: ‘Cindy McCain proves what an ignorant a*****e she is.’
A number of Twitter users told stories of their experiences as mixed-race families traveling through airports.
‘I travel through this and other airports,’ tweeted one Twitter user.
‘I have three adopted black children including two toddlers. No one needs Cindy McCain or anyone else policing families of mixed ethnicity.’
'What did she actually see? Nothing but a family that didn't "look right",' tweeted one Twitter user.
Many Twitter users noted it was ironic for McCain to suspect a woman of a different race than her child of trafficking given that the McCain family adopted a young girl from Bangladesh.
Bridget McCain was adopted by the McCains from an orphanage in Bangladesh.
‘Cindy McCain literally has a daughter she adopted from Bangladesh, wtf,’ tweeted another Twitter user.
Another Twitter user noted: 'Cindy McCain has an adopted daughter that sure doesn't look a thing like her either. RIDICULOUS.'
Mike McMahon tweeted: 'Other people's racially diverse families don't pass your "some didn't click test? You take credit for non-existent trafficking and this is the closest you can get to an apology? Frightening and pathetic.'
