2-year-old injured at Atlanta airport after climbing onto baggage belt, being sent to TSA luggage room
TSA officer catches 2 year old boy on a luggage conveyer belt in Atlanta International airport.
Officials at the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport have released footage from a startling incident on Monday, during which a 2-year-old boy was injured after climbing onto a baggage conveyor belt and getting sent down to a TSA luggage room.
The airport had earlier confirmed that the boy was transferred to a hospital that afternoon.
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“Officers with Atlanta Police and Atlanta Fire and Rescue responded to an incident at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Monday afternoon involving a small child who accessed the automated baggage screening system via the Spirit Airlines ticket counter,” said Hartsfield-Jackson in a statement shared with Fox News on Wednesday.
“The child was transported to a local hospital for observation and treatment. The Transportation Security Administration and other partners are also assisting with the investigation into the incident.”
Footage released by the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport shows the boy riding the conveyor all the way to a TSA baggage area, and at one point, attempting to cling to a railing. (Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport)
The boy’s mother, Edith Vega, told police she had set her son Lorenzo down for a moment while she printed a boarding pass, but by the time she looked up, he was already on the belt.
“I just went blank,” Vega told WSB-TV. “I wanted to jump in and try to go get him but they didn’t allow me. I was just freaking out and I’m, like, ‘Oh my goodness, I hope he’s OK. I hope he’s just enjoying the ride.’”
The 2-year-old was later retrieved by TSA officers in a baggage screening area. (Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport)
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She also said investigators told her that, after Lorenzo disappeared from view, he was taken on a five-minute journey that ended in the TSA bag room.
“I wanted to jump in and try to go get him but they didn’t allow me. I was just freaking out."
His hand was said to be fractured by the time he was retrieved. Vega added that she’s just grateful he’s still alive.
Spirit Airlines says it is currently "working with TSA and airport officials" following the incident.
"Spirit Airlines is aware of an incident at Hartsfield-Jackson International in which an unattended child passed by a section of our ticket counter that was not staffed or open at the time," a representative for the carrier confirmed in a statement shared with Fox News on Wednesday. "The child was able to access a back baggage area via a bag belt and sustained some injuries. We are currently working with TSA and airport officials to ensure all protocol was followed. We wish the child the best in their recovery."
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News of the boy's injury follows a similar story of a confused first-time flier at the Istanbul Airport who climbed onto the luggage conveyor belt.
Confused airport staff jumped up to help her before she ended up in a pile of checked luggage aboard the cargo carrier, but the woman allegedly said she thought the conveyor belt would conveniently transport her to the aircraft.
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Fox News' Vandana Rambaran contributed to this report.