Couple fly to Paris, leave 3-year-old child at airport

An Israeli couple in a hurry to catch a flight to Paris for their European vacation left their 3-year-old daughter at the airport.

The couple and their family of five children were trying to catch the plane at the Ben-Gurion international airport at the last minute. They were able to catch the flight on time, pass through customs and transfer their baggage, but they left their 3-year-old daughter, who was at the duty-free shopping area. A police officer at the airport saw the girl wandering into shops alone and alerted airline staff. The staff tried to reach the parents, but it was too late, as the plane was already on its way to Paris. The parents were not aware that one of their children didn’t board the flight. The aircraft crew was able to inform the parents about their missing child only after 40 minutes into the flight. Thanks to the airport administration, the child was reunited to her parents after she was accompanied by airport staff in the next flight to Paris. Israeli media said the parents were an ultra-Orthodox Jewish couple but did not give their names. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told the media they will interview the couple after they return from vacation, on suspicion of parental negligence.