Boy who caught Las Vegas flight at nine clear of court supervision

[August 16, 2014]  MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) - A young boy who stowed-away on a flight to Las Vegas after getting through security at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport last October has been released from court oversight, prosecutors said on Friday.

The boy, then 9, was able to board the flight without a ticket and his status was discovered by the flight crew while the airplane was en route to Las Vegas, raising questions about airport and airline security.

Authorities in Minnesota opened a court petition to bring him and his parents under supervision after the incident and he was placed in a facility where he received counseling, the Hennepin County Attorney's Office said.

A judge found in a final court hearing on Tuesday that the child, who has been living back with his family since May 30, has made good progress and his parents, who have been receiving counseling as well, were cooperative with social workers and outside help, the office said.

"The young man and his family and the 'system' worked together to try to resolve the issues that made him run in the first place," Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said in a statement.

(Reporting by David Bailey; Editing by Sandra Maler)

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