The TSA Took Her Son
Let me say that I make a conscious effort to eschew violence as much as possible — just as some ex-smokers are almost rabid in their condemnation of smoking, so too am I perhaps overly anti-violence. That said, I think that, had I been in Nic’s shoes, there would have been blood spilled at the Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson airport the other day. Certainly, the possibly-perverted old man who took her son Jackson away from her and out of her sight to “inspect” him would have been, shall we say, damaged.
According to the Transportation Security Administration’s website, they “will not ask you to do anything that will separate you from your child or children.” Unfortunately, it seems not all of their agents have kept up with the agency’s web site. As she was heading home last week, Nic went through the metal detector at the Atlanta airport with her son’s pacifier tether still attached to his clothing. The tether’s metal clip set off the alarm, of course, and rather than allow her to remove the item and try again, she was told to wait in a “6 ft plastic box” to be searched.
After a while, she was allowed to sit near her stroller and other items. Eventually, an older, male TSA agent came over and asked to search the child. Instead of doing it there, however, he took the toddler and disappeared, leaving his mother to be, as she described it, “Horrified. Terrified. Enraged.” I don’t blame her one bit and commend her for holding it together as well as she did.
It is indeed sad that we need such extreme security measures at all; it is equally sad that someone would be so oblivious to or uncaring about the bond between a mother and child as to blithely walk off with someone else’s child.
Photo: pdell
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Tags: air travel, airplane, airport, metal detector, security, tsa
10 Comments
Angela commented on Oct 17 09 at 2:39 pmThis story may not be true. See the TSA’s response: http://www.tsa.gov/blog/2009/10/response-to-tsa-agents-took-my-son.html
Ri-chan commented on Oct 17 09 at 3:49 pmIf this is true, that guys definatly a pedophile.
Alison commented on Oct 17 09 at 5:31 pmAs people pointed out in the comments of the TSA blog, the video which is meant to discredit the mother’s claims has been edited and the time stamp is questionable. Anyone who has attempted to board an airplane in the US in the last 8 years has experienced some questionable experiences at the hands of a TSA agent who figured that since they had the badge, they had the power (regardless of what actual TSA policy might be). Has TSA ever responded to a complaint with anything other than denial and refusal to acknowledge any wrongdoing on their part? Their background checks of employees has been questionable and their main concern is stopping terrorists. Would anyone be surprised if convicted rapists and child molesters worked for TSA? The only thing which supports TSA’s denial is how long it took their agents to let someone pass through security and how poorly they treated her–I suspect they couldn’t possibly think this video makes them look good, just not guilty of the crime which the blogger accused them.
Christy B. commented on Oct 17 09 at 7:20 pmI was horrified when I read this story yesterday.
I was confused when I saw the TSA video today.
I read many comments about how the TSA video was edited. Rather than suspect, I watched the video several times and noted time stamps and descriptions.
Here are the camera angle time stamps and descriptions:
11:01:11 overhead view of security screening, Mom putting stroller on x-ray conveyer, leaves baby on floor w/back turned
11:01:40 going through metal detector, baby in arms11:02:00 coming through metal detector, baby in arms
11:04:12 exited “holding box” and walking out of frame behind TSA agent, baby in arms11:04:31 entering frame, baby in arms, 2nd level security check
11:10:30 Mom leaving inspection area, baby in stroller11:10:32 Mom entering concourse, baby in stroller
11:10:41 Mom leaving camera viewHere are the major “incident’s” and the accompanying time stamps and descriptions:
11:04:38 Female TSA agent #1 brings over stroller, baby in Mom’s arms
11:05:28 Male TSA agent #1 comes over to “inspect” baby, baby in Mom’s arms
11:05:38 Male TSA agent #1 finished “inspecting” baby, baby still in Mom’s arms
11:05:42 Mom gets up to put baby in stroller
11:06:04 Mom finished putting baby in stroller
11:06:12 Mom stands up to begin security inspection by Female TSA agent #2 - facing baby in stroller
11:06:56 Mom rolls up left pant leg and “something” appears on the floor
11:07:11 Female TSA agent #2 agent takes that “something” and puts it area for further hand/visual inspection
11:17:18 Male TSA agent #2 takes that “something” out of camera view
11:08:32 Male TSA agent #2 or 3 brings “something” back and sets on table for Mom
11:07:20 Female TSA agent #2 begins another inspection - facing baby in stroller
11:09:34 Female TSA agent #2 ends inspection - Mom still facing baby in stroller
11:10:30 Mom leaving inspection area, baby in stroller
11:10:32 Mom entering concourse, baby in stroller
11:10:41 Mom leaving camera viewTotal time Mom dealt with TSA security: 9 minutes and 30 seconds.
Total time Baby in arms of TSA agent and out of sight: 0 minutes and 0 seconds.
Largest gap in video time stamp: 19 seconds **this was BEFORE she claims the incident happened.
Ali commented on Oct 18 09 at 8:29 pmI was always told to never take the baby through the metal detector. They wand them instead.
GP commented on Oct 19 09 at 1:13 pm“Anyone who has attempted to board an airplane in the US in the last 8 years has experienced some questionable experiences at the hands of a TSA agent who figured that since they had the badge, they had the power (regardless of what actual TSA policy might be).”
Anyone? I’ve boarded several planes several times, with a child, and never experienced any trouble. Even when I had things I shouldn’t have in my carry on (accidentally, and due to different regs in different countries) they just kind of acted annoyed and took it away (liquid, camping knife)…so…that’s kind of a sweeping statement.
Va Mommy commented on Oct 19 09 at 1:45 pmI certainly hope that story isn’t true. If it is, I hope that the appropriate actions are taken.
I recently came back from a trip and had my toddler with me. I was able to carry him through the metal detector. I also saw someone with an infant and they had to be out of their car seat, and went through the metal detector too.
gretchen commented on Oct 19 09 at 2:34 pmThe story is not true. The TSA posted the entire incident on their blog, including from 9 different camera angles. The baby was never, ever separated from her. Not one moment. He sat in a stoller while she was wanded.
jenny commented on Oct 20 09 at 12:33 amregardless of if the story’s true, the tsa are ridiculous. traveling this weekend, they forced me to take off my 9-month-old daughter’s sweater/peacoat before going through the detector, as well as confiscating her sunscreen as “nonessential”. this has gone too far in the name of “security”
jenny tries too hard commented on Oct 20 09 at 9:08 amnot to be a pain, jenny, but sunscreen is nonessential because you don’t need it on the flight. You can purchase sunscreen at your destination, and if you don’t want it confiscated you should pack it in your checked luggage. I agree that the policy about liquids on flights is a pain and maybe an overreach, but the agents at the airport don’t make the rules.
I have had only good experiences with the TSA, even as soon after 9/11 as Nov. 2001. When I flew in Nov. 2001, I was visibly pregnant and was randomly chosen for inspection—-probably because I bought a one-way ticket. One inspector made a noise about checking my pregnant belly to see if it was real, but was quickly told the wand would’ve picked it up if I had anything. We did have to take the twins out of their carseats and place the carseats on the scanner, but the agents didn’t rush us and asked if we needed them to help by holding anything.
