Officials at the world’s busiest airport are investigating how a toddler went on a wild ride on a baggage conveyor belt into a restricted area.
A two-year-old boy suffered a hand fracture at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport after jumping on the belt while his mother was printing out boarding passes from an automated machine.
The boy’s mother, Edith Vega, told Channel 2 Action News she looked round and saw him ride the belt, and moments later disappear from view.
He then disappeared into a restricted area with no one close enough to grab him in ttime.
At some point he injured his hand and was treated at a local medical facility.
Vega said he jumping on the belt behind a Spirit Airlines check-in kiosk which was closed and not manned.
"When I tried to go after him, it was at the end of the machineI couldn’t even catch up … I wanted to jump in and try to go get him, but they didn’t allow me. I was just freaking out," Vega said.
A TSA employee alerted police after the toddler fell through the chute into the TSA bag room, Channel 2 reported.
Vega said TSA officers told her the belt goes on several turns and loops before dropping into the baggage room.
"I’m thankful he’s alive," she added.
TSA and airport officials are still investigating the incident.
