Lawsuit: TSA Agents Opened Urn and Spilled Ashes Throughout Suitcase

Shannon Thomas of Cleveland,
Ohio is suing the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and
twenty unnamed TSA agents for opening an urn containing his
mother’s ashes and spilling them throughout his suitcase.

Cleveland Scene magazine
broke the news yesterday:

The incident occurred nearly two years ago when Thomas packed
his bag with a “very heavy and sturdy” urn with a tightly screwed
on top that held held his mother’s ashes, and padded it in his bag
“with his clothing to attempt to protect it.” He checked it at
Cleveland Hopkins, got a connecting flight in Washington D.C., and
arrived in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The plan was to “spread his
mother’s remains in the Caribbean Sea, as she had requested prior
to passing away.”

In San Juan, he noticed the TSA had inspected his bag along the
way and that the ashes were spilled all throughout his suitcase.
The TSA “negligently, carelessly, and recklessly replaced the lid
of the urn, placed a bag inspection notice in Plaintiff’s suitcase
and sent the bag on its way. This action caused the urn to open and
spilled the remains of Plaintiff’s mother on the inside of
Plaintiff’s suitcase and on Plaintiff’s personal effects.”

Thomas charges that the agency’s action “constitutes intentional
and/or negligent infliction of emotional distress” and “outrageous
disturbance of human remains.” Also:

In the two years since it happened, Thomas says “No person
speaking on behalf of the United States or TSA has ever issued an
apology, explanation, or notification to [Thomas] aside from the
bag search notice.”

The TSA assures that it “understand[s] the emotional stress
passengers” and
provides this guideline:

If carrying on the crematory remains, they are subject to
screening and must pass through the X-ray machine. If the X-ray
Operator cannot clear the remains, TSA may apply other,
non-intrusive means of resolving the alarm. Under no circumstances
will an officer open the container, even if the passenger requests
this be done. If the officer cannot determine that the container
does not contain a prohibited item, the remains will not be
permitted.

The agency has spilled people’s ashes before. At least they
didn’t
laugh about it this time.