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Mom Left Outraged After 27-Year-Old Daughter With Down Syndrome Gets “Taken” To Car Dealership
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Mom Left Outraged After 27-Year-Old Daughter With Down Syndrome Gets “Taken” To Car Dealership

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A “cognitively impaired” woman with Down syndrome was taken from her home by a salesman in a bid to make her buy a car. The questionable gesture left the vulnerable person’s mother completely outraged. The incident prompted discussions on discrimination awareness and accessibility ethics.

Taking to her Facebook page on July 17, Angie Martin, a working mom of seven, shared a candid post recalling the “terrifying incident” that occurred at the Honda dealership in Abilene, Texas, USA.

Highlights
  • A cognitively impaired woman with Down syndrome was taken from her home by a salesman to buy a car, sparking outrage from her mother.
  • Angie Martin shared the incident on Facebook, criticizing the Honda dealership in Abilene, Texas, for their exploitative actions.
  • The dealership's Vice President defended the salesperson's actions, citing anti-discrimination laws and a commitment to inclusivity.

“I’m still shaking from both fear and anger,” Angie wrote. “I’m posting on behalf of Hope, as well as on behalf of our local Upside Down Club community and the National Down Syndrome, National Down Syndrome communities at large, as well as others who have additional needs in our world. I’m an advocate, through and through!”

Hope Martin is Angie’s third youngest, who is 27 years old and has been diagnosed with Down syndrome.

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    Hope Martin, who has Down syndrome, was taken from her home by a salesman in a bid to make her buy a car

    Image credits: BigCountryHomepage

    The distressed mom, who works as a therapist, wrote: “Today Hope somehow managed to figure out how to call Honda, where she spoke with Jodye Renfrow-Burke, informing him that she wanted to buy a car. 

    “This man took it upon himself to come to our home and take Hope, without my knowledge or consent, to Honda of Abilene to attempt to assist her in purchasing an automobile.”

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    Angie later told KTAB/KRBC on July 18: “My heart’s beating faster just thinking about it. 

    “I got a text from her father, and he was like, ‘I got a couple texts from someone at Honda.’ She had apparently called them multiple times and said I want to buy a car.”

    Image credits: Angie Griggs Martin

    As per the counselor’s Facebook post, Hope’s plans to purchase a car fell through. Nevertheless, Angie accused Jodye’s manager, Glenn Burkhart, in addition to other Honda employees, of being complicit in the “predatory and exploitative” endeavor.

    Hope’s desire to drive is something she and her mother have discussed before, KTAB/KRBC reported.

    Moreover, Angie reportedly said she believed she had adequately conveyed to her daughter that the decision was not up to her but rather to State motor vehicle institutions.

    “When someone meets Hope, it is immediately apparent that she has Down syndrome, and due to their growing presence in media, the general public is quite aware of the limitations of people who have Down syndrome,” Angie wrote on Facebook.

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    The questionable gesture left Hope’s mom, Angie Martin, completely outraged

    Image credits: Karina Hollingsworth

    The dedicated Christian also clarified that Hope is unable to obtain a driver’s license, nor can she drive or “reach the pedals of any standard-size auto.”

    “Hope has been declared incompetent by a judge, and I have full guardianship of her,” Angie stated on social media. 

    She told KTAB/KRBC: “As you are as a mom, I was so angry that this had happened and that a strange man would have the audacity to come and take my daughter, who obviously is cognitively impaired, out of my home without my consent, let alone to do something so drastic.”

    On Facebook, Angie recalled: “When this strange man met her at our private home, once realizing that she obviously is mentally disabled, he didn’t choose to do the right thing and leave her alone safely or have her call her mom. 

    “Nope. He just took her.”

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    Image credits: Google Maps

    The mother revealed that while Hope had temporarily gone missing at the dealership, she had notified the local police and even consulted with two detectives.

    Angie reportedly said officers consulted with their own special needs experts at the department and stated that “kidnapping is not kidnapping if someone agrees to go willingly.”

    While the mother reportedly said that she disagreed, given that Hope cannot legally make major decisions, she said she was thankful for their guidance.

    “The sale, apparently, is the only thing that Honda teaches their employees to consider,” Angie wrote. “Not decency, not kindness, not caution. Only the sale.” 

    Angie recalled the “terrifying incident” that occurred at the Honda dealership in Abilene, Texas, USA

    Image credits: Angie Griggs Martin

    Vice president of All-Star Honda, Nicholas Varela, reportedly said it was not uncommon at the dealership for their associates to provide transportation to potential customers if they call as Hope did. 

    Nicholas told KTAB/KRBC in a statement: “At All-Star Honda, we pride ourselves on our commitment to serving every customer with respect, dignity, and fairness— free of discrimination of any kind. 

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    “Recently, an incident occurred that we feel it is important to address directly.

    “We are prohibited by law to discriminate or refuse service to anyone based on their membership in a protected category, as outlined by the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

    “We are currently addressing this matter internally to ensure that we uphold the highest standards of inclusivity and respect. 

    “As a family-owned dealership, we do our best to act in the best interest of our customers and deeply regret any harm this may have caused. 

    “We apologize for any concern this may have caused and appreciate the community’s understanding and support while we navigate this matter.”

    Image credits: Angie Griggs Martin

    Regardless of discrimination laws, Angie explained that Hope lacked the “inhibitions and limits” typically developing people have, and she is “always trying to thread that needle between her rights as a human being and her safety.”

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    “What legislation attempts to do is to call us to a higher standard, not give us an excuse for our failures,” Angie responded to Nicholas’ statement. “That’s not why it exists…I’m sure that they’re on the learning curve and that they’re rethinking things and examining things and I think that good will come of this.”

    She continued: “[They told me] that their job is to sell cars, Hope wanted to buy a car. 

    “Their job is not to discern whether someone is capable of buying a car, which brings up so many alarming questions like what about someone with dementia?” 

    Hope’s desire to drive is something she and her mother have discussed before

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    The therapist’s initial outrage with the young salesman soon subsided, as she wrote on Facebook: “I’ve processed a lot of things this week, and I choose to believe that everyone was doing the best he could with the limited or nonexistent training he had received. 

    “I’m confident that those impacted by this event will choose to grow and learn, and this is an opportunity for Hope and me to continue to grow and learn as well.”

    Nicholas told KTAB/KRBC in response to the incident that dealership sales staff will be educated on appropriate procedures in these types of situations, leading to better outcomes in the future.

    Meanwhile, Angie, who currently owns a Honda, said she would continue to live her happy life with her family “Honda-free,” with her current car being the first and last from the Japanese brand.

    As per the now-relieved mom, Hope is currently home and safe. “She will no longer be in possession of an iPhone, however,” Angie concluded. “And new cameras are going up at my home’s perimeter!”

    “I can’t even imagine the terror of her being gone,” a reader commented

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    Andréa Oldereide

    Andréa Oldereide

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

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    I’m a journalist who works as Bored Panda’s News Team's Senior Writer. The news team produces stories focused on pop culture. Whenever I get the opportunity and the time, I investigate and produce my own exclusive stories, where I get to explore a wider range of topics. Some examples include: “Doberman Tobias the viral medical service dog” and “The lawyer who brought rare uterine cancer that affects 9/11 victims to light”. You've got a tip? email me: andrea.o@boredpanda.com

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    Andréa Oldereide

    Andréa Oldereide

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    I’m a journalist who works as Bored Panda’s News Team's Senior Writer. The news team produces stories focused on pop culture. Whenever I get the opportunity and the time, I investigate and produce my own exclusive stories, where I get to explore a wider range of topics. Some examples include: “Doberman Tobias the viral medical service dog” and “The lawyer who brought rare uterine cancer that affects 9/11 victims to light”. You've got a tip? email me: andrea.o@boredpanda.com

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    As a visual editor in the News team, I look for the most interesting pictures and comments to make each post interesting and informative through images, so that you aren't reading only blocks of text. I joined Bored Panda not that long ago, but in this short amount of time I have covered a wide range of topics: from true crime to Taylor Swift memes (my search history is very questionable because of that).In my freetime, I enjoy spending time at the gym, gaming, binging Great British Bake Off and adding yet another tattoo artist that I would love to get a tattoo from to my pinterest board.

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    Karina Babenok

    Karina Babenok

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    As a visual editor in the News team, I look for the most interesting pictures and comments to make each post interesting and informative through images, so that you aren't reading only blocks of text. I joined Bored Panda not that long ago, but in this short amount of time I have covered a wide range of topics: from true crime to Taylor Swift memes (my search history is very questionable because of that).In my freetime, I enjoy spending time at the gym, gaming, binging Great British Bake Off and adding yet another tattoo artist that I would love to get a tattoo from to my pinterest board.

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    Ace
    Community Member
    5 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's worth bearing in mind that somebody at the dealership had contacted the father, so this "sale at any cost" rhetoric is clearly BS, as is this post's headline - nobody actually "sold her a car". ETA: glad to see that someone's modified the headline here on BP at least.

    Jonas Fisher
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Context is desperately needed here. An adult calls a dealership wanting a car, asking for a visit from a salesperson. The guy arrives, and probably can see that this person isn't as fully functional as one might expect....maybe. But these days, isn't there a big risk of being accused of "ableism" if he had said, "I think you're incapable of knowing what you want, despite being an adult and having made the choices and actions necessary to call and talk to us."

    Jan
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Mom lost me at her dedicated Christian description of herself. What did that have to do with this story. She has a child that is rebelling against her parental authority. Welcome to parenthood. There are a lot of people that could have taken advantage of this young woman and it sounds like the dealership contacted her father and there was never any danger of her being able to purchase a car on her own. The dealership did do the right thing and cannot be blamed for her daughter's actions. Most mentally challenged people can be taught skills and many are able to live independent lives with a little help. Perhaps mom needs to work to give her child more autonomy instead of taking her phone away. Her actions clearly show she is wanting more independence. Maybe family services needs to step in on this young woman's behalf.

    Load More Comments
    Ace
    Community Member
    5 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's worth bearing in mind that somebody at the dealership had contacted the father, so this "sale at any cost" rhetoric is clearly BS, as is this post's headline - nobody actually "sold her a car". ETA: glad to see that someone's modified the headline here on BP at least.

    Jonas Fisher
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Context is desperately needed here. An adult calls a dealership wanting a car, asking for a visit from a salesperson. The guy arrives, and probably can see that this person isn't as fully functional as one might expect....maybe. But these days, isn't there a big risk of being accused of "ableism" if he had said, "I think you're incapable of knowing what you want, despite being an adult and having made the choices and actions necessary to call and talk to us."

    Jan
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Mom lost me at her dedicated Christian description of herself. What did that have to do with this story. She has a child that is rebelling against her parental authority. Welcome to parenthood. There are a lot of people that could have taken advantage of this young woman and it sounds like the dealership contacted her father and there was never any danger of her being able to purchase a car on her own. The dealership did do the right thing and cannot be blamed for her daughter's actions. Most mentally challenged people can be taught skills and many are able to live independent lives with a little help. Perhaps mom needs to work to give her child more autonomy instead of taking her phone away. Her actions clearly show she is wanting more independence. Maybe family services needs to step in on this young woman's behalf.

    Load More Comments
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