A new lawsuit filed in federal court against the airline claimed it happened in August of 2023.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Editor’s note: This article covers sensitive topics concerning sexual crimes against minors. While explicit details are omitted, reader discretion is advised.
Just over a week following the sentencing of a former American Airlines flight attendant for unlawfully recording a teenage girl in a plane bathroom in 2023, another family has initiated legal proceedings against the airline. They allege a similar incident occurred to them that same year.
WCNC Charlotte has examined the newly filed lawsuit, which appeared on Wednesday within the federal courts’ PACER system in the Western District of North Carolina. According to the lawsuit, an 11-year-old girl and her parents took a flight from Charlotte to Orlando, Florida, in August 2023, headed to Walt Disney World. Their flight crew included a member named Estes Carter Thompson III.
The family said the girl, who is now 13 years old, was secretly filmed as she used the bathroom during the flight.
The lawsuit states that the family was informed by the FBI several months later, in October 2023, when they were shown photos of their daughter taken while she used the bathroom. These images were sourced from Thompson’s iCloud storage.
The family reports that the knowledge of the girl’s secret filming has caused her significant emotional trauma, making her fearful of using public restrooms and apprehensive about future air travel.
The lawsuit further details that federal authorities discovered images of young victims in Thompson’s iCloud, aged between 7, 9, 11, and 14 years. Additionally, the account contained more than 50 images of a 9-year-old and numerous AI-generated depictions of child sexual exploitation.
Thompson pleaded guilty in late July 2025 to one count of attempted sexual exploitation of children and one count of possession of child pornography depicting a prepubescent minor. He was sentenced to more than 18 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
The family’s suit claims American Airlines was negligent because there were other instances of misconduct involving Thompson and minors, and that multiple employees had even complained to the company. The family wants monetary and exemplary damages and for the case to be heard in front of a jury.
WCNC Charlotte has reached out to American Airlines, which is based in Dallas, Texas, for a response. Should a response be provided, this article will be updated.
Union County is about 30 miles southwest of Charlotte.
If you or a loved one is facing domestic violence, help is readily available. You can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text START to 88788. Resources for help are available in both North Carolina and South Carolina.
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