The American woman who was last week caught on camera stripping naked and being restrained by security officers at the Sangster International Airport (SIA) in Montego Bay, Jamaica, was fined a combined total of $52,000 when she appeared in court on Monday.
The woman, whose identity has not been disclosed but who is said to be a dentist, pleaded guilty to the charges of resisting arrest, indecent exposure, and disorderly conduct.
During Monday’s court proceedings, the woman’s attorney, Mark Williams, informed the court that his client’s family struggles with mental health issues.
“She, herself, has always been a high-functioning person, and one who has functioned at the highest level in her profession. But it appears as if she had a psychotic episode that morning,” the attorney said.
He also told the court that his client is on anxiety medication.
Presiding judge Kaysha Grant-Pryce subsequently ordered the defendant to pay a fine of $50,000 or spend 20 days in jail for resisting arrest, $1,000 or five days in jail for indecent exposure, and $1,000 or five days in jail for disorderly conduct.
Airport incident and viral video
According to police reports, on January 23, at about 11:00 am, the woman was in the departure terminal at the SIA, preparing to board a United Airlines flight to Las Vegas, when she began behaving in a loud and boisterous manner as she and another woman got into a confrontation.
The woman then went on to hurl expletives at security officers who attempted to intervene, escalating to her stripping off her clothing and getting into a physical altercation with an officer who tried to restrain her.
After several minutes of intense confrontation, the woman was eventually restrained and escorted to the Cornwall Regional Hospital where she received medical attention. She was subsequently arrested and charged for her actions at the airport.
Following the incident, a three-minute-long viral video emerged on social media showing the woman’s actions at the airport. In the video, she is seen and heard hurling expletives, removing her clothes and throwing them at onlookers, and resisting officers’ attempts to restrain her.
Read: American woman undergoes evaluation following mental episode at Jamaican airport
