TSA pats down eight-month-old baby

A photo of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents patting down an eight-month old baby at Kansas City International Airport is the latest viral internet sensation in the ongoing criticism of TSA security procedures.

Jacob Jester, a passenger who was passing through the security line, took the photo on his cell phone and posted it on Twitter on 7 May. Since then it has been viewed more than 200,000 times.

The photo shows TSA screeners searching the baby while the mother holds the child in her arms.

Jester, who has an eight month old son, sharply criticized the agents for screening the baby.

In response, TSA issued the following statement defending their actions after reviewing the incident:

“TSA has reviewed the screening of this family and determined that the officers involved followed proper current screening procedures. After the child’s stroller alarmed during explosives screening, officers followed protocol to conduct additional screening on members of the family, who were very cooperative.

While children are not exempt from security screening, Administrator Pistole has tasked the agency with exploring additional ways to focus its resources and move beyond a one-size fits all system while maintaining a high level of security. As part of this effort, TSA has been actively reviewing its screening policies and procedures to streamline and improve the screening experience for low-risk populations, such as younger passengers.”

Despite TSA’s explanation, Jester is still not convinced that it is necessary to pat down small children.

“Still, my opinion is that I would wonder why an 8-month-old would be a security threat to this nation,” he said.