JJ Redick slams Twitter users who accused him of doing nothing when he ‘saw a child caged in a cab’

J.J. Redick has hit back at Twitter users who’ve criticized the Philadelphia 76ers player for doing nothing when he thought he saw a caged woman hidden under a blanket in the truck of a hired car in New York. 

The 34-year-old NBA star’s bizarre story has been met with outrage on social media as people accused him of neglecting to investigate what could have been a case of human trafficking.

Redick has responded to the critics by saying that he wasn’t sure if he had actually seen a person under the blanket, writing on Twitter: ‘If there was truly a child in a cage and I knew that I would have acted on that info.’ 

Philadelphia 76ers player J.J. Redick has slammed Twitter users who’ve accused him of failing to act when he saw what he thought was a caged woman hidden under a blanket in the trunk of a hired car he used in New York Wednesday with his wife Chelsea (above) and her sister Kyle

Redick tweeted Friday: 'If there was truly a child in a cage and I knew that I would have acted on that info. To say that I had even a hint of that info at the time would be incorrect'

Redick tweeted Friday: ‘If there was truly a child in a cage and I knew that I would have acted on that info. To say that I had even a hint of that info at the time would be incorrect’

Redick had recounted the incident on an episode of his ‘The J.J. Redick Podcast’ Thursday.  

He said he was leaving a photo shoot for men’s lifestyle website MrPorter.com when the company called a car for him, his wife Chelsea and her twin sister Kylee.

Redick said he noticed a strange smell when the driver went to put his bags in the back of the Escalade but didn’t think anything of it. 

As they drove through Manhattan, he claims his sister-in-law was ‘pale as a ghost’ when she tapped him on the shoulder and whispered there was a ‘person in the back of the car’.

Redick said he turned and spotted a large blanket that was moving as it covered what appeared to be a box or cage. He said he immediately asked the driver to stop and told him there might be something in the back.

Redick claims he told the driver to stop in Manhattan's Financial District (above) after they allegedly spotted what appeared to be a woman in the trunk of the car

Redick claims he told the driver to stop in Manhattan’s Financial District (above) after they allegedly spotted what appeared to be a woman in the trunk of the car

The NBA guard  said the driver denied having anything in his car and sped off, leaving them on the sidewalk. Redick then reported the incident to the NYPD and the car service

The NBA guard said the driver denied having anything in his car and sped off, leaving them on the sidewalk. Redick then reported the incident to the NYPD and the car service

The athlete claims the driver lifted the blanket slightly to inspect before saying there was nothing there and then closing the trunk.

‘As he’s like walking around to the front seat, a head pops up. There’s a back of a female’s head. She’s got blond hair, there’s a ponytail, and based on the size of the box or cage that this person is in, it’s like either, like a very small human, or a child,’ he said. 

Redick claims the driver sped off before they started questioning if maybe it was just a dog with a fluffy tail. He said Kylee was adamant it was a woman. 

‘She’s like: “No. The reason I said there was a person is because I saw movement in my peripheral – out of my right eye. So I turned around, and the blanket was moving. So when I looked back, like half of a human face came out of the blanket. I saw a woman’s eyes, woman’s face, woman’s blond hair.”‘ 

He said he called the NYPD but hasn’t heard back from them yet.

Redick also said he called the car service who responded via email saying the driver had been suspended for having someone in the front seat during their trip. He said they made no mention of a woman in the trunk, even though he says he explicitly told them. 

Redick got into an argument with a Twitter user identified only as Maryam on Friday

Redick got into an argument with a Twitter user identified only as Maryam on Friday

The story was met with a wave of criticism from social media users incredulously asking Redick why he didn’t take photos of the driver or the car and why it took him so long to call police. 

One woman under the name Maryam tweeted: ‘Driver lifted the blanket and you didn’t get right up in there to see whether there actually was a person under it??? You were more concerned with the safety of your bags.’

Redick replied to the tweet saying: ‘I was more concerned with safety of wife and sister in law. Had no idea what was under blanket and still don’t. Didn’t see back of human head until after he locked doors and drove. Get a life. Seriously.’

She responded: ‘I’m relieved that the three unrestrained adults armed with their cellphones that got into the car are safe and sound. But what about that child in the cage. Is she safe?’ 

Redick then double-down on his defense, writing: ‘Again if there was truly a child in a cage and I knew that I would have acted on that info. To say that I had even a hint of that info at the time would be incorrect. 

‘I said there was a blanket over what looked like a cage or a box. I’m not even sure there was cage or child.’ 

DailyMail.com has reached out to the NYPD for clarification.

 



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