MINNEAPOLIS — A 9-year-old boy garnered national attention this week after sneaking passed security at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and catching a flight to Las Vegas without a ticket.

The boy rode to the airport Wednesday, October 2, on the light rail system that runs from downtown, took a bag from a luggage carousel and went to an airport restaurant where he ate and then left the bag and an unpaid check.

The boy then boarded a Delta Air Lines flight and did not get discovered by flight crew until the airplane was in flight. Las Vegas police took the boy into custody when the airplane landed. The incident is under review by the Transportation Security Administration and Delta.

The boy’s mother, who is an employee at the airport, had been subjected to reviews by the county’s child-protection staff on four previous cases since last December. 

One of the cases involved the child having stolen a vehicle and making an attempt to drive, before he was pulled over by Police. Another case involved the child gaining entry to a water park, without a ticket, last summer. He had apparently taken the light rail to the water park and blended in with a large family to gain access. 

Authorities said the boy would not face charges on the incidents because of his age.