HOUSTON – A Cincinnati father has been reunited with his daughter after sending her on a plane to visit relatives in Houston.
Kiante Butler, 37, flew 7-year-old Angelina on Delta Airlines as an unaccompanied minor last week. She was picked up by a relative, but not the one who is supposed to have custody of her.
Angelina was greeted and taken by her mother, 39-year-old Jennifer Lopez.
"This is very difficult for him because when he last saw Jennifer, he was attacked," said Butler's lawyer, Umeka Lewis.
Butler, who lives in Cincinnati, still bears the injuries from the last time he saw the mother of his child. He said six years ago Lopez, along with several accomplices, beat him severely and kidnapped Angelina and another child. Lopez went to prison and was released early in March.
The airline handed over Angelina to her mother even though another relative was on the unaccompanied minor list to pick up the child. Butler didn't even know Lopez had been released from prison.
"Delta has pretty much admitted that their policy has been, has not been followed," said Lewis. "At this point it's just a matter of Mr. Butler trying to get his daughter back."
In a statement to Local 2, a Delta spokesperson said the airline is "conducting its own investigation into what transpired at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport last week. Delta's unaccompanied minor handling protocols are thorough and we will be looking to see if procedures were properly followed in this instance."
After being reunited with his daughter, Butler said he'll stick around town for a few more days to handle legal issues related to the case. He said he then plans to head back to Ohio with his daughter.