Words by Alyson Robinson
Cobb County NAACP has committed support to the protests against Chuck E. Cheese, which takes place early today at 11:30 a.m. outside Chuck E. Cheese on Cumberland Boulevard, Atlanta, Ga.
The rally is in support of the family of 9-year-old Marley Eschoe, who attended another child’s birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese in May. Marley’s father, Mark Eschoe, who brought Marley to the party, was not allowed to take her into the only available restroom. Little Marley suffers from lupus and had just recently been released from a three month stay in the hospital after suffering her second stroke in eight months.
Her father was denied access to the empty female restroom and was told he would have to take her to the men’s room even though it was overcrowded. The father also requested that a female employee stand by the door as a lookout while he took his daughter into the female restroom, and that was also denied by Chuck E Cheese management.
Management was informed of Marley’s condition, management’s response was “I don’t care if she has special needs, I’m not going to treat her any differently from my other patron. I’m done with you.” Soon after management threatened to call the police to have Mark Eschoe removed from the property.
“I am father who is there for my children and to see the callous and insensitive way Chuck E. Cheese treated my baby and I is disturbing” On Saturday, we want parents to bring their kids so we can show this corporation that special needs kids matter too, that Marley matters too,”said Mark Eschoe.
