Woman’s Disabled Son Uses Mobility Scooter at Walmart. Then They Get Kicked Out: ‘Walmart Doesn’t Like Children Riding the Mobility Scooters’

A woman said she went to Walmart with her disabled son. Then, she said that employees at the location told her that her son wasn't allowed to use a mobility scooter, despite her emphasizing that he needed it.

‘He Physically Cannot Walk'

In a video that received more than 1.3 million views, Katie Virts (@katie.virts) called out the store, saying that employees have “problems” with her son using the scooter. She told her audience that she was told not to record the encounter and that the store kicked her out.

The content creator filmed from what appeared to be the back of a Walmart store. According to her, an employee had discussed her son using a mobility scooter, apparently off camera. As she recorded, she identified multiple people on camera who reportedly told her he wouldn't be able to use the scooter.

“Her, her right there, them right there, and that one,” she said, while panning across the store. “Going to corporate. My son cannot walk. My son cannot walk.”

In a previous video, she explained the situation further. “It all started because my two girls were laughing and playing around. … [It] drew attention to us then they targeted my son because he was a child on the cart.”

She told her audience that the employee in her video had a “problem” with her son using the scooter. She added that she had medical records to prove he has a condition. But she said an employee “kicked” her out anyway.

“Now he's telling me I can't record when they're kicking me out of Walmart because of my son being on this and not being able to walk,” she said.

‘Pretty Sure There's More to This Story'

Virts' video quickly gained traction on TikTok. But commenters weren't necessarily on her side. A few viewers asked for more details.

“Pretty sure there's more to this story,” one viewer said.

“If he can't walk, he should have his own mobility scooter or wheelchair, yes?” one commenter asked.

Another viewer, however, pointed out a glaring issue with that logic. “Not always,” they said. “Sometimes it's just crutches, which they could have left in the car.”

Being able to walk a short distance isn't the same as being able to go through a store. For example, many people are ambulatory wheelchair users; they use a wheelchair when they need to or want to, but there are times when they don't necessarily need to use a wheelchair.

What Does the Law Say?

While Virts' son may have genuinely needed the scooter to navigate the store that day, was Walmart legally obligated to provide it?

The simple answer is no. Stores such as Walmart are not required to provide customers with motorized carts, per federal law.

§36.306 of the Code of Federal Regulations says, “This part does not require a public accommodation to provide its customers, clients, or participants with personal devices, such as wheelchairs.”

The Code, however, doesn't necessarily address whether a company can bar access to the devices it provides by age.

But what about Walmart's non-legal obligations? If the store Virts visited truly did kick her and her son out for using the mobility scooter, was it ethical?

That question is harder to answer. Walmart does have an increasing commitment to providing accessibility in stores, per its own corporate press releases. If Virts' situation is true, that would be somewhat antithetical to its core mission.

One such mission-oriented page, for instance, states, “All Walmart U.S. stores provide Caroline's Carts to help caregivers of customers with disabilities navigate the store with a single cart.” It does not mention an age requirement for said manual carts. Nor does there seem to be a consensus on an age requirement for motorized ones.

Has Walmart Kicked Kids Out of Mobility Scooters Before?

Walmart has apologized in the past for revoking minors' access to devices that could make their in-store experience easier. In 2018, a mother from Florida named Tiffany Ferris accused a Walmart location of kicking her son out of a motorized cart.

KTNV reported that “her son needed the chair because of a muscular development delay which causes a lot of pain for the child in his legs.” Ferris added that Walmart employees asked the boy to leave the cart two separate times, even though he pleaded to stay in it.

Walmart responded, saying, “We have apologized to the family about a misunderstanding over the use of a motorized cart. We always strive to ensure our customers have positive shopping experiences, and in this case we fell short. We take this matter seriously, and the store has since addressed the issue with associates.”

Subplot News reached out to Virts via TikTok direct message and Walmart via contact form for comment. We will update this story if they respond.

@katie.virts No sound!! #viral ♬ original sound – Katie Virts

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