Family Who Claims Sesame Place Snubbed Black Daughters Hires Lawyer

LANGHORNE, PA — A family who claims their two Black daughters were ignored by a Sesame Place character while watching a weekend parade has hired a lawyer.

A Pennsylvania mother who goes by the name "Jodi" on Instagram called out the theme park earlier this week in a video posted to her account. The video shows two 6-year-old girls watching a parade while Sesame Street character Rosita high-fives other attendees. The girls reach out to Rosita as she approaches, but the character wags her finger and shakes her head as she passes the children.

The family has retained B'Ivory LaMarr of B'Ivory LaMarr Trial Lawyers, the firm confirmed in a statement. In the statement, LaMarr claims the girls were "intentionally mistreated."

RELATED: Mom Blasts PA's Sesame Place After Character Ignores Black Daughters

"We are appalled, both by the actions of the performer and the lack of accountability and audacity of the Sesame Place theme park to defend such egregious actions," LaMarr's statement read.

"We will not hasten to exercise every remedy under the law to hold this theme park accountable for what we construe as nothing short of intentional mistreatment to their minority patrons," the statement continued.

Sesame Place responded to the backlash in a statement posted to Instagram on Monday.

"The performer portraying the Rosita character has confirmed that the 'no' hand gesture seen several times in the video was not directed to any specific person, rather it was a response to multiple requests from someone in the crowd who asked Rosita to hold their child for a photo which is not permitted," park officials said in the statement. "The Rosita performer did not intentionally ignore the girls and is devastated about the misunderstanding."

Park officials went on to say they had reached out to the family, apologized and invited them to a special meet-and-greet with Sesame Place characters.

On Monday, the mother who posted the video mother claimed she had no communication with the park since her post went viral, according to Instagram story screenshots captured by The Shade Room.

Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization that oversees Sesame Place parks, also issued a statement in response to the incident.

"What these children experienced is unacceptable," Sesame Workshop's statement read. "We have been in contact with Sesame Place, our park partner, and they have assured us that they will conduct bias training and a thorough review of the ways in which they engage with families and guests."