hotel pool
A white man in Pasadena, California, was caught on video asking a black mother and her child if they showered before they entered a hotel pool. Pictured is a hotel pool on Oct. 26, 2017 in Bodrum, Turkey. Hannes Magerstaedt/Getty Images

A black woman, who was vacationing in Southern California earlier this week, claims she was singled out because of her race when a white man asked if she and her 5-year-old daughter showered before entering a hotel pool.

The incident occurred on Monday morning at the Westin Hotel in Pasadena, California, according to a video uploaded to Facebook on Wednesday by Carle Wheeler.

In the cell phone video the unidentified man, who Wheeler said claimed to be a health inspector, can be heard explaining to a hotel employee, "I simply asked them if they'd showered. I'm sorry." He further laments that he was "tired of getting in pools people consider baths."

Wheeler, who was visiting from Texas, pointed out that the man asked no one else near the pool about their hygiene and alleges that he targeted them because they are black. The man claimed he was worried about cleanliness in the pool area.

"Google it. Google the diseases in pools," he can be heard saying.

The two got into a shouting match and that’s when additional hotel staff got involved. The hotel manager stepped in a seemed to take the woman's side.

"I don’t know what’s going on," a hotel staffer said. "Please leave. Thank you very much."

Wheeler also shared her thoughts about the confrontation underneath the video post.

"It's just sad that in 2018 we are still dealing with these issues and still having to teach our children things that people had to teach their children in the 50's and 60's. Nothing has changed," she wrote.

Westin Hotel confirmed that the incident occurred and that the man does not work with the company nor do they believe he was an actual health inspector. It added that the hotel compensated Wheeler for her stay and that the man was not allowed back at the hotel.

"In light of recent events, we feel it important to share that we do not condone the comments or behavior directed toward our pool guests," the hotel said in a statement to CBS LA. "The safety and security of our guests is our top priority, and we strive to maintain an environment where our guests feel welcome and are treated with equal respect and attention from our team."

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