American passenger stopped from leaving the country
BABY HIDDEN INSIDE BAG
This story is too good to be true. Immigration officials yesterday stopped a departing foreign passenger from leaving the country last Wednesday after it was found that she was hiding a six-day old boy in her carry-on bag.
The Bureau of Immigration identified the departing passenger as Jennifer Erin Talbot, 42, a US national.
Since Talbot could not present a boarding pass and any travel document for the baby, she was prevented from boarding her US-bound Delta Airlines flight at the NAIA terminal 3 pre-departure area and was reported by airline staff for verification and questioning.
Immigration Officer Naderes Masorong Guiling said that at around 6:20 a.m., Talbot proceed to the immigration counter for her primary inspection before boarding her flight. During the procedure, she only handed her passport and other travel documents. It appeared that she was travelling alone.
At around 7:20 a.m., Immigration Officer Jayson Payumo approached Guiling to inform her that the passenger went through the immigration area carrying a baby without any travel document or whatsoever.
Guiling clarified that the woman was not carrying a baby during processing, only a huge black tote bag, which she was carrying when she proceeded to the immigration counter.
The Bureau discovered that the 6-day-old baby was hidden inside the black tote bag before she proceeded to the immigration counter.
Upon checking on the status of the passenger, it was learned that she has a valid visa and had no derogatory record in their system.
Talbot and the baby were turned over to the National Bureau of Investigation for verification on the identities of the infant’s real parents and for further investigation.