Son taken from Mom at Airport Security

[CathrynRose]

This is so crazy:

ETA!!! LOL! WHOA NELLY!!!

I missed some 'language' (see what happens when you're cruising the internet while "working") I didn't catch it all, until I came back to eyeball her blog, again.


Here is a snippet (had to lose the link...ooops!)

As I sit and write this post, 24 hours after this event took place, my hands still shake… with rage and with terror.

I woke up this morning to my husband’s alarm clock, sat straight up in bed and thought “Where’s Jackson?” with fear paralyzing me.

My worst nightmare took place yesterday. Worse than events that have taken place and that I have survived in my short 28 years of living. Worse than my wildest of dreams could conjure.

My son was taken from me.

Taken.

My son was taken from me by the TSA agents at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson airport yesterday.

He was taken away from me and OUT OF MY SIGHT because his pacifier clip went off when I carried him through the metal detector.

According to the Transportation Security Administration website, “We will not ask you to do anything that will separate you from your child or children.”

 

[mrsv98]

Hmm, I think there is more to the story. She sounds like a bit of a drama queen. I would like to hear both sides before I decided, for instance, she says the baby was "out of her sight" but what does that mean? Did they take him to another part of the airport or around the corner from where she was? Based on her blog, I think it could have been handled better by the TSA but I also think it sounds like she overreacted.

 

[agnes!]

Wow. I kept on having some TSA beauts a while back when leaving Orlando (of all places), but nothing like what this woman describes.

agnes!

 

[CathrynRose]

Hmm, I think there is more to the story. She sounds like a bit of a drama queen. I would like to hear both sides before I decided, for instance, she says the baby was "out of her sight" but what does that mean? Did they take him to another part of the airport or around the corner from where she was? Based on her blog, I think it could have been handled better by the TSA but I also think it sounds like she overreacted.

It was weird - right? I was thinking the same thing.

Has anyone else ever experienced the child being 'taken away' from them? Actually *away*??

 

[java]

There seems to be some issues. Her blacking out? Panic Attacks? Freaking out? I know that whole scenario is frustrating but who doesn't expect a wait at the airport anymore?
And wasn't it all "glass" so she was seeing her child? Or not? I don't know.
Sounds crazy but I wouldn't have let someone take my child. So I don't get how that occured. A blog is a tough thing to base a decision on.

But if it went down as she said that's NUTS.

 

[Heidict]

While I can understand the TSA's need to inspect her son to be sure that he wasn't hiding anything in is diaper, I don't think they should have removed him from his mothers sight.

But man, this woman sounds really dramatic. Maybe it was just her writing style, but she was freaking out because her stuff wasn't right next to her. She called her mother saying that her son was missing? I'm not going to flay the TSA on this one, because I think their is a lot more to this story then what she is telling.

 

[FayeW]

While I am sure it was a horrible experience, and she was certainly dealing with the "Worst of the Worst" TSA agents, I believe she may have embellished for more shock and outrage. I am finding it a little hard to believe that it all happened just the way she said.

Calling her mother and crying "Jackson's gone!" ...oh please. Popping Xanax while she is the sole caregiver of an infant? Something smells bad and it ain't the kid's diaper.

 

[C.Ann]

I'm thinking I would like to hear the other side of the story before I comment..

 

[Disney Doll]

OK, anyone who carries and "emergency Xanax".. a bit of a drama queen or has a screw or two loose. To then take that "emergency Xanax" when she is getting on an airplane with her young child?

Sorry...you're 28, you're mother, you are travelling alone with your child. You don't take a medication that could render you less able to appropriately respond in the event of an emergency.

My experience with travelling, both nationally and internationally, has been that the TSA agents are in general pretty respectful. DH travels with a CPAP machimne. Gets searched every time. He's pleasant to them, they are pleasant to him. They search, he thanks them for trying to keep us safe and doing their job when they probably encounter a million idiots a day and off we go.

Nut case trying to blow something small up into something big.

 

[Mickey's Minion]

Hmm, I think there is more to the story. She sounds like a bit of a drama queen. I would like to hear both sides before I decided, for instance, she says the baby was "out of her sight" but what does that mean? Did they take him to another part of the airport or around the corner from where she was? Based on her blog, I think it could have been handled better by the TSA but I also think it sounds like she overreacted.

I think there is more to the story too.

First she gives details about the call she made to her husband. Then later says she has absolutely no recollection of calling her husband.

And if she was in such a state that she can't remember calling her husband, how can we trust that her recollection of the rest of the story is accurate?

 

[EthansMom]

Hmm, I think there is more to the story. She sounds like a bit of a drama queen. I would like to hear both sides before I decided, for instance, she says the baby was "out of her sight" but what does that mean? Did they take him to another part of the airport or around the corner from where she was? Based on her blog, I think it could have been handled better by the TSA but I also think it sounds like she overreacted.

I agree... overdramatized. If there was such a huge problem, the woman should have called 911 instead of her family. Also, she should have demanded to speak to a supervisor (and missed her plane if necessary) instead of being in a hurry to make her flight.

The security process can be time consuming and people should plan accordingly. Sounds like this woman probably started freaking out as soon as the process took a few extra minutes. (On our last trip to WDW, it took our family at least 20 minutes to get through the security checkpoint do to people in wheelchairs in front of us. No problem with us, but being diverted to the line for people with wheelchairs and families will slow you down.)

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Wow--I feel bad for her..but as I was reading---knowing she was upset so in my mind saying her statements how I thought she said them--I was trying to tell her to mellow out.

They should have let her go through the metal detector again.

I've traveled with kiddos and have even had surprise screens and the number 1 rule was to always remain calm and my kiddos were never separated from me.

The fact that she admits anxiety and has an emergency Xanax kind of did the story in for me. I have my doubts that she reacted in any calm manner from the moment she was flagged (and why one allows for more than 45 minutes especially in Atlanta for ample time to get through security.)

 

[glo]

I do have to say that I had a problem with TSA in Orlando about 6 years ago that involved my daughter and I. I had bought a brand new laptop and they said it had some kind of residue on it that was not allowed in the battery area. They took me to an area and my daughter who was 7 to another. I could sort of see her between people in the crowd as they walked between us. We weren't very close maybe 50-75 feet away. I could see her getting upset and crying and no one tried to help her and no one would let me near her. They were horrible and I wrote a scathing letter and called the airport when I got home. They do need to update their procedures when kids are involved. I see why we needed to be separated, but let them be in eyes view and someone should be able to calm a child in this situation. I know that there is a need for security but a little compassion for a child or their parent isn't going to kill them. I will say I did keep my cool. I knew that making a scene woud only make it worse, hence the letter, which was scathing but not rude.

 

[NotUrsula]

Has anyone else ever experienced the child being 'taken away' from them? Actually *away*??

I have -- at least 3 times. Actually, it wasn't so much him being taken away from me as me being taken away from him. In spite of what TSA says about not separating parents from children, it DOES happen, quite often. Under normal circumstances you can still see the child, but IME it isn't unheard of to get separated by at least 20 feet and several glass or metal barriers.

Two of the times that that it happened to us, I was selected for a search, and I had to turn the baby over to TSA while that happened. They escorted me off into their little room, leaving him with the agents at the checkpoint. He really didn't understand why strangers were taking Mommy away, and as you can imagine, had the melt-down of all time, so both times, the agent holding him decided to come and stand outside the door of the privacy booth where I could talk to him and kind of keep him calmer. The other time, he was the one who was subject to secondary, and I had to wait on the other side of the glass barrier. The line of sight problems only happen when adults must be searched in a way that disturbs clothing, because they don't use the privacy booth when searching young children -- if they need to look under some items of clothing they just do it in the glass box, where you can see them do it.

You can search my posts here and find my advice to folks flying with babies on this topic. Little kids should be prepared for this possibility. Cloth harness reins are always a good idea in an airport if you are travelling alone with a toddler -- if a secondary is needed, the TSA agents can hold the end of the rein for safety while the child stands on the other side of the barrier from you, so that he doesn't have to be held by a stranger to keep him from bolting. When traveling with two adults, it is always a good idea to send one adult through first and then let some strangers through before the rest of the family comes through -- that way, if the first parent is selected for a secondary, it will be completed before the rest of the family comes through, so the first parent can take charge of watching the children AND the carryon baggage in the event that the second parent also needs to be searched.

The blogger is an hysterical fool. For starters, she used foul language, which is GUARANTEED to lengthen your wait time when dealing with TSA -- they will punish you every time if you curse at them. If she had politely but firmly asked for a supervisor from the beginning she wouldn't have had nearly the drama -- well, maybe she would have anyway because it sounds like she's just that kind of person.

 

[MushyMushy]

Although I think it was completely wrong for the TSA agent to remove her son from her sight, I think she probably made things so much worse for him (and herself) with all of her drama and profanities. I mean, in this day and age, who doesn't know better than to start CURSING at the agents???

Frustrating experience? Sure. Traumatic and panic attack worthy? Not so much.

Drama queen is right. She needs to get her act together or else travel with a more responsible adult if she can't handle the stresses that come up.

 

[JerseyJanice]

Another vote for Drama Queen!

I can see being very P.O.ed at the TSA agents for removing the kid to search him further, but I can't see getting into a total panic over it. What did she think they were going to do to the child? They were Federal agents; it's hardly likely they were going to kidnap or torture him.

 

[emma'smom]

My dd was searched once when she was just a little over a year old. This was in a small airport in 2003 (so people were still very nervous). Anyway, the metal detector went off when she walked through---so they took her to a chair and I was allowed to stand about 5 feet away. She could see me and I could talk to her, but she sat on the chair while they wanded her. The TSA agent was respectful and apologetic to me and talked to dd in appropriate ways. It was what it was....

I've been flagged with my kids sometimes.....it is annoying, but it was my own fault for forgetting that the pants I had on had metal grommets on them. My children weren't horrified, I just said to wait right over there while the TSA agent checks to make sure that it was the grommets that were making the machine beep.

I actually find the TSA agents are pretty interested in moving families along as quickly as possible.

 

[livie1205]

wow...I do think she is being heavy on the drama BUT no one has the right to take your baby from you for no legal reason..it was a pacie clip!I also do not agree about the comments about her taking the 1 xanax....for someone who may take xanax at a higher dose 1 xanax was most likely fine for HER where it may not be fine for some.While I think she should calm down I think people are being a little hard on her....I have seen people here get OUTRAGED that a teacher gave their child a check in class but no one has sympathy for this lady who was alone and had her baby taken out of her arms? crazy or not I feel bad for her.

 

[blissventure]

OK, anyone who carries and "emergency Xanax".. a bit of a drama queen or has a screw or two loose. To then take that "emergency Xanax" when she is getting on an airplane with her young child?

Sorry...you're 28, you're mother, you are travelling alone with your child. You don't take a medication that could render you less able to appropriately respond in the event of an emergency.

My experience with travelling, both nationally and internationally, has been that the TSA agents are in general pretty respectful. DH travels with a CPAP machimne. Gets searched every time. He's pleasant to them, they are pleasant to him. They search, he thanks them for trying to keep us safe and doing their job when they probably encounter a million idiots a day and off we go.

Nut case trying to blow something small up into something big.

I can't imagine traveling alone with a small child AND "emergency anxiety" drugs to pop whenever. Very irresponsible. If travel is that stressful, then mommy probably shouldn't make the trip.

TSA can be good and bad, but being polite, cooperative and saying very little is the best way to get through any TSA difficulty quickly.

I had a family in front of me on Mon in Orlando that was giving TSA fits-drama, you don't understand, on and on. The TSA agent was polite, but firm. She held her ground and sent them off to get actual boarding passes. When she was done dealing with the high maintenance folks, The TSA agent actually apologized to me for the delay.

 

[Embel]

About 6 years ago we were leaving Disney World & had a problem with TSA. At the first check point they noticed that my husband was seated 2 rows behind us because his ticket was purchased at a later time. Without any explanation he was pulled from the line & brought to some other area. They later told him that they considered him to be a male travelling alone, despite the fact that he was in line with me and our 2 children, and that set off a red flag.

I was surprised to suddenly be left with 2 young children, and a stroller, and I hurriedly removed the baby, broke down the stroller & loaded all carryons onto the conveyor. We started through the metal detector & I set it off because in the confusion I had forgotten to empty my pockets. They tried to take me to a separate area even as I was saying "what about my children? I can't leave my children alone" It took a female TSA agent to come over & get the kids and bring them with me while I was searched.

It doesn't matter what a policy is when you have to rely on many individuals to carry it out. It shouldn't happen that parents are separated from their children, but I know first hand that it can.

Our scenario played out a lot more calmly though- no swearing and no Xanax.