Oklahoma Girl With Prosthetic Leg Not Allowed on Water Slide

Averie Mitchell’s family says an Oklahoma City water park discriminated against her for wearing her prosthetic leg. The 8-year-old wears a prosthetic and was stopped from going down the slide, the park says, in an aim to protect guests’ safety.

Averie Mitchell, eight, was born with a rare condition that causes a “false joint” to form halfway between her knee and ankle and had her right leg amputated below the knee when aged two.

But she doesn’t let her prosthetic leg slow her down one bit; she’s on a competitive gymnastics team. “Right now i’m working on back walkovers”, she said.

Despite her prosthetic, Averie can do so much.

A humiliated Averie Mitchell was forced to climb down from a water slide at Frontier City’s Wild West Water Works in Oklahoma City after a worker called her out for having an artificial limb, her father told the Daily News.

Averie’s mother, Kim, explained what happened.

“We were getting ready to go down the slide and the attendant stepped in front of the slide and told Averie, ‘you can’t go down, ‘” her mom, Kim Mitchell, said. It’s an excuse that doesn’t sit well with John Mitchell, who pointed out that the soft material of Averie’s leg is also covered by a gel sleeve, making it “impossible to scratch the slides”.

Terrible: ‘I was mad, I was upset. My child was crying.

“My first response was anger and I was very upset, but Averie thought she had done something wrong”, she added.

Yahoo Parenting could not reach Averie’s parents for comment, and a representative of Frontier City told Yahoo Parenting it would issue a statement, but it did not arrive by press time.

But the child’s confidence was shattered when she was escorted to the front gates by security guards, where park bosses told them her prosthesis would “scratch the slides”.

Those in charge at the park claimed it was their policy.

“They gave us the option that she could take her leg off and go back, which we didn’t agree with at all”, Mitchell added.

“Like many water parks across the United States, regulations regarding loose articles and medical assistance devices are enforced to ensure the safety of each guest”, the park said.

“Put it out there so other kids – or whoever, you know – they’re not on top of the slide getting ready to start their day of fun at the water park when they’re told, ‘Sorry, you’ve got to leave, ‘” John Mitchell said.

“Frontier City will be implementing this new policy effective immediately and will be updating all safety signs and website to reflect these changes”, they said.

PHOTO: The park gave the Mitchell family a full refund following the incident.

“We deeply regret any disappointment caused to our guests due to our Ride Admission Policies”.