Parents charged in UAE after hidden baby found in carry-on

[Evil Eye]

(CNN) -- An Egyptian couple has been charged with putting their child at risk and attempted smuggling after security officers at an airport in the United Arab Emirates found their 5-month-old boy hidden in a small handbag.



Police said the baby was discovered by an X-ray screening at Sharjah International Airport as the couple was traveling through the airport.



The infant is in good condition, police said.



According to Sharjah police, the couple arrived in the UAE last Friday but were not allowed to enter the country because they didn't have a visa for the infant.



The parents were told they had to wait two days at the airport until the visa office reopened so the boy's documents could be processed.



On Saturday, the impatient father persuaded his wife to put the baby in their hand luggage in the hope airport security wouldn't notice, police said.



We were very surprised. This is the first time we have seen something like this, police officer Abdel Rahman Shama told CNN. Even if you are in a desperate situation, how can you put your child in a bag?



The parents remain in the UAE under police questioning.

Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/07/10/world/meast/uae-baby-discovered-airport/





That's more than a little disturbing...

Does anyone know how powerful those scanners are?

 

[Jazzy]

Source: http://edition.cnn.c...overed-airport/



Does anyone know how powerful those scanners are?

Understanding Radiation Exposure

 

[Evil Eye]

Understanding Radiation Exposure

Yeah, I knew about that, but I wasn't sure about the luggage scanners.

Anyway, did some searching and found out that the body scanners give out 5 times the radiation luggage scanners do. (About 0.02μSv. For comparison: http://xkcd.com/radiation/)

Hmm, guess it should be all right.

 

[Jazzy]

The point really is about radiation. What if that bag got lost?

 

[Evil Eye]

I know it's not about the radiation. I was just curious.

Yes, what the parents did was wrong and they should probably lose custody over it (something in any case). However, parents shouldn't have to wait two days for bureaucracy to get stuff done either.

Both problems should be addressed.

 

[Jazzy]

Wouldn't it have been easier to get the baby a visa BEFORE attempting to travel?

 

[Evil Eye]

Yes. And they should've done that, obviously.

 

[Jazzy]

They should get the stupid parents of the year award.

 

[Evil Eye]

Hmm... I'm afraid you'll be able to find people worse than this still :/

 

[Jazzy]

The reason I said that about the parents is they had been screened once (with baby). Then they try it a second time (without baby).

 

[Evil Eye]

Maybe they got someone to pick up the baby?

 

[Jazzy]

All I can say is that 5 month old baby boy must have been fast asleep not to make any noise.