The mother of the 6-year-old girl who appeared on the controversial anti-abortion billboard in New York City's SoHo neighborhood is now suing the company behind it.
Tricia Fraser filed a lawsuit against Life Always, the Texas organization responsible for putting Anissa Fraser's photo on a billboard with the message, "The most dangerous place for an African American is in the womb."
"This isn't at all what the family signed up for," lawyer Andrew Celli said Tuesday. "This was a modeling shoot that they were told was a family-album-style presentation." The billboard was quickly taken down in February following complaints by city officials, Planned Parenthood and the Rev. Al Sharpton and Fraser herself.
"The mom did sign a release," Celli said. "But the release was very clear that the image was not to be used in a way that would defame her daughter or hold her up to ridicule in public." Last month, Fraser simply demanded an apology from the pro-life group, but now she claims that Anissa was used as a prop and her daughter's reputation has been seriously damaged.
Life Always was definitely in the wrong for its actions, but wasn't taking down the billboards enough? Fraser has a right to be upset with the group, but we doubt the child's reputation was tarnished to the extent that she claims. She was 4 when the photo was taken, and the chances of agencies blacklisting this little girl for this ad seem slim to none.
Read more at the Daily News.
In other news: Custody Battle Ignites Over Hudson River Survivor.
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