The family of a 14-year-old girl, who claims to have discovered an iPhone affixed to the back of a toilet seat during a recent flight from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Boston, now believes that she was targeted by a member of the flight crew.
On September 2, aboard American Airlines Flight 1441, a male crew member instructed the teenager to use the first-class restroom. Subsequently, the crew member entered the restroom just before the girl, informed her of a supposed issue with the seat, and re-entered the restroom after she exited, according to a statement released by her family.
It was only after using the facilities that the girl noticed a concealed iPhone attached to the toilet seat, presumably for recording purposes. She captured a photo of the device with her own phone before leaving the restroom.
In their official statement, the family expressed their shock and deep disturbance over these events. As of now, they have not filed a lawsuit related to the incident.
Upon landing, law enforcement officers met the aircraft at the gate, and Massachusetts State Police removed a flight attendant from the flight. State authorities later deferred to the FBI as the primary investigative agency, given that the incident occurred during the flight, where the FBI holds jurisdiction.
At present, the FBI has not provided any comments on the matter, and an email to the FBI on the subject remains unanswered.
American Airlines issued a statement following the incident, emphasizing their serious approach to the matter. The airline pledged full cooperation with law enforcement agencies in their investigation, reiterating that passenger safety and security are their utmost priorities.
