Shame on CO for a direct violation of FAA security regulations regarding the loading of passengers! Once a final destination check has been made, no passenger should be allowed to de-plane unless all their carry-on and checked bags have been removed as well.

This is a sensible safety precaution, since otherwise would-be suicide bombers could be made into just regular old bombers by hopping off the plane at the last moment. And it CERTAINLY would have been a more grevious violation if the doors had been shut and the plane took off without her!

Having said that, however, if she were my mother (or wife or daughter or even me, for that matter), I'd think CO was right for bending the rules!