Local mother says her son with autism was kicked out of Friendly's

Pottstown, Pa. (WTXF) - A local mom is furious after she says a restaurant kicked her family out. According to the mother, it was because her son, who has autism, was crying.

"It's ignorance. It's complete and utter ignorance," the mother told FOX 29.

Teri Jensen-Sellers, of Pottstown, says she had a very unfriendly experience at a Friendly's restaurant off of Route 100 last weekend with her two boys. She says her 5-year-old son Lind has autism. When they got to the restaurant he was in transition and the restaurant manager didn't like it.

"He was crying - very loudly but I explained to the waitress that he was autistic and I wanted to put an order in," Jensen-Sellers said.

Jensen-Sellers thought food would help.

"I was trying to calm him down and the manager came over to me and said, 'I'm sorry you have to leave. People are looking at you,'" she explained. "I said what you're doing is discriminatory. Many children have neurological disorders that have nothing to do with bad behavior. He wasn't being bratty. He's autistic."

We reached out to Friendly's for a statement on the handling of the situation, a spokesperson responded and said the company is aware of what happened and that quote: "We are pleased that the District Manager of this franchise and the guest have been in contact with each other and we are confident that important dialogue will take place."

Jensen-Sellers says she's all about progressive conversation and she's speaking out to raise awareness in the community to improve the treatment of children with special needs.