Adam Holland's parents were distressed and offended when they saw a photograph of their son with the Down syndrome disorder used as memes on the internet. Bernard and Pamela Holland of Nashville, Tennessee are after the people responsible for the online ridicule with a filed lawsuit worth $18 million.

The couple is suing for emotional distress and damages from the three separate defendants who used Adam's picture in an altered and ridiculed way. One of the accused in the lawsuit filed is a radio station in Florida.

In a bid to put a stop on the extensive use of altered photographs, the Holland family decided to do a legal action about the issue. According to the lawsuit filed on April 22 at the US District Court in Tennessee, Pamela and Bernard Holland discovered the shared internet image of their son, Adam, captioned with "defamatory descriptions and commentary."

Adam's photograph was captured way back in 2004 during an art class at the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center in Nashville when he was just 17 years old. An instructor reportedly asked Adam to show a drawing with a message that reads: "Go Titans One."

However, the image spread online with Adam's drawing edited with the caption that reads "Retarded News." The Florida station WHPT-FM posted as well the altered image on their web page for "The Cowhead Show."

"That picture of Adam holding up his sketch ended up online via the art center's website but was lifted by others without permission," Larry Crain, the Holland family attorney, stated.

The station's program director sent an email apologizing for editing then using Adam's picture. "The segment 'Retarded News' is designed to highlight odd stories that are seemingly always in the news. Stories such as botched bank robberies and failed crimes. These stories are NOT about disabled individuals," the program director wrote.

A spokesperson for the Cox Media Group that owns the Florida station confirmed on Monday that the company is "looking into the situation." However, Cox Media Group did not give any comment regarding the ongoing lawsuit.

In the lawsuit filed, the Holland family further added that they discovered at least two more sites that used Adam's picture in an offensive way. They have no idea how the photo ended up as an internet meme almost ten years later.

At any rate the lawsuit will not succeed, advocacy groups will still campaign in prohibiting the use of messages and images that are insulting to people like Adam Holland who obviously has special needs. "This is a disturbing case that touches a nerve for any family of special needs children," attorney Larry Crain declared on the Daily News.

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