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Atlanta International Airport cameras captured the moment a curious toddler climbed on to a moving carousel and was swept away to the baggage processing room.
The boy was able to sneak away from his mother as she turned to print her boarding pass. The boy fractured his arm in the incident and was transfered to local hospital for observation and treatment.
The boy’s mother, Edith Vega, told police she had set her son Lorenzo down for a moment while she was printing her boarding pass.
“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.’”
“I wanted to jump in and try to go get him but they didn’t allow me. I was just freaking out."
The video shows the child struggling to get off the belt by climbing over a suitcase but is unsuccessful. The toddler is then pushed into what appears to be a large X-ray machine by another suitcase.
The boy then eventually pops out into the TSA screening room where shocked employees rescue the child. The entire ordeal lasted over 5 minutes before the boy was finally removed from the belt, said Vega.
VIDEO OF TODDLER SWEPT AWAY BY CONVEYOR BELT
"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.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."
Vega is happy her son will be ok.
“I’m thankful he’s alive,” she told Channel 2. “That’s all that goes through my mind. I’m just grateful he’s here.”
In another conveyor belt incident just a few weeks ago a first-time traveler mounted the bely thinking it would take her to the plane. She quickly fell before being whisked away and then rescued by airport staff.
VIDEO OF FIRST TIME FLIER MOUNTING LUGGAGE CONVEYOR
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