Newark Airport Terminal Shut Down After Baby Security Breach

The mother, with her baby, set off an alarm and handed the baby to the father

A Newark Airport terminal was shut down for part of the afternoon after a mother going through a metal detector with her baby set off an alarm but handed the child to its father and left the screening area.

The Transportation Safety Administration said a machine alarmed when the mother and baby went through the metal detector. The mother handed the baby to the father, who had already been screened. The mother was then cleared, and the family left the checkpoint.

The TSA said officers then began to look for the family, since the baby had not been properly screened. Port Authority Police then decided to shut down the terminal and rescreen passengers, the TSA said.

No flights from Terminal C were allowed to take off after the breach at about 1:15 p.m., officials said.

A passenger on a Houston-bound flight scheduled to depart at about 2 p.m. says the flight was completing boarding when all passengers had to evacuate and go through security screening again.

Flights had resumed by about 3:30 p.m.

Get the latest from NBC 4 New York anytime, anywhere. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google+. Get our apps here and sign up for email newsletters here. Get breaking news delivered right to your phone -- just text NYBREAKING to 639710. For more info, text HELP. To end, text STOP. Message and data rates may apply.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
Contact Us