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TSA disproves blogger's claim that agent took her baby
On Friday, a blogger reported a harrowing tale that would make any parent furious with the TSA. She claims that, while going through security, she was detained because her son's pacifier clip set off the metal detector. When she was pulled aside for a search, her son was taken away from her by a male TSA agent and was out of her sight for several minutes.
On her blog, she recounts the story of how she was so upset that she screamed obscenities, almost blacked out, and frantically phoned her husband and mother over the course of the nearly ten minutes that her child was out of her sight. She says when the agent finally returned with her son, she ran to him. Once she was allowed to leave, she headed to the bathroom, again nearly blacked out, and took the "emergency Xanax" that she keeps with her at all times because she suffers from severe anxiety.
Well, she might want to take a few more Xanax, because it sounds like this whole episode may have been the result of anxiety-induced hallucinations. The TSA has released proof that the incident, as the blogger claims, never happened.
The video of the blogger and her son going through security has been posted on the TSA website. The nearly 10-minute long video clearly shows that not once was her son out of her sight, that she never picked up her cellphone and that a TSA agent never held her child (though one did pat him down for about 10 seconds). While she is being patted down, her son is visible no more than three feet away, siting in his stroller. Even her claim that her belongings were left on the conveyor belt is false. A TSA agent brings them to the search area shortly after she walks over.
It's easy to get mad at the TSA, with their frequent fumbles and ever-changing rules about liquids, powders, and shoes. Who likes being forced to walk barefoot (or in my case, often in mismatched socks) around an airport or to have to wait (as she did) ten minutes to be cleared through security? But if you're thinking of getting even with a falsified account like this, just remember: when dealing with the TSA, you're always on camera.
Filed under: Blogs, North America, United States, Airports, News
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Scott Carmichael Oct 17th 2009 10:52AM
I'm by no means a fan of the TSA, but I'm glad they were able to show the true story here. The only part of her story that turned out to be true was that she was at a TSA checkpoint. Every other bit of drama was one big lie. One has to wonder why - was it really just a hallucination? Or just another "balloon boy" media hoax? She sure got the attention she wanted, if that was her objective...
Heather Poole Oct 17th 2009 12:11PM
I think this woman may have been on my last flight..... We escorted a woman off the airplane who had over medicated and looked like she might pass out
dave Oct 17th 2009 12:24PM
Anyone who always carries "emergency Xanax" has problems.