'Traumatised': I was accused of trafficking my son due to this bizarre reason

This mum has a message for all parents flying solo with their kids. 

A single mum says she's been left "embarrassed and traumatised", and has shared a PSA with other parents, after she was 'accused' of trafficking her four-year-old son.

 

The mum, Bridgetta Tomarchio, took to Instagram to explain how she was taking her son, Lucian, on a flight to visit his dad this week.

But the routine trip turned into anything but, and she ended up fearing that police were going to "take her son" following a misunderstanding. 

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Image: Instagram

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The 'child trafficking' incident

The mum, 45, said the trip, which she takes once a month with her son, usually goes smoothly. But during their most recent one, the plane's pilot raised questions about her relationship to the boy, who "passed out" in his stroller because it was a late-night flight. 

Then, after the plane landed, she was allegedly approached by police when hiring a car. 

She claims they told her they "had reason to believe she was child trafficking" and "had done suspicious behaviour."

She also says they added: "We believe this child is not yours and that you are child trafficking."

"My heart was going crazy and I was shaking," she recalled.

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"I can't even believe this"

In body camera footage viewed by TODAY, an officer approaches her and says, "We've just gotten a couple of calls — is this your child?

"I don’t know what exactly is going on.

"I guess a pilot was concerned about potential trafficking.

"I don’t know if something was said or."

Bridgetta then had to show copies of Lucian's plane ticket and also suggested they log into Instagram to watch a video about her birth story. 

The outraged mum said in her clip about the incident: "This is a message for all parents, that are single parents travelling, where your child might have a different last name than you or your child might not look like you.

"It was like, this whole, complete ordeal. I can’t even believe this."

Originally published as 'Traumatised': I was accused of trafficking my son due to this bizarre reason