Delta has got some explaining to do. Not only did the airline hand over a 7-year-old unaccompanied traveler to the wrong person when she arrived at her destination, but that wrong person happened to be the mother who recently got out of jail for kidnapping and beating the girl back in 2008.

The young girl, who has been in her father’s custody in Ohio since her mom was convicted six years ago, was flying to Houston to visit other relatives. These family members were the ones Delta was supposed to hand the youngster over to. Instead, it was the mom who picked up her daughter at the airport.

The dad says he didn’t even know that the girl’s mom had been released from prison.

“Delta has pretty much admitted that their policy has been, has not been followed,” his attorney tells WCPO-TV. He also says the local police are investigating whether or not the mom violated the terms of her parole.

Delta says it is “conducting its own investigation” and that “Delta’s unaccompanied minor handling protocols are thorough and we will be looking to see if procedures were properly followed in this instance.”

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