support@headlinenews360.com
Last Updated:
A 14-year-old girl’s had observed a faint light emanating from behind the warning sign. This led to the discovery of Thompson’s hidden camera in 2023 and his subsequent arrest
Thompson used to place a warning sign on the toilet seat stating that the seat was not functional. (Representative/AP File)
A shocking case of child abuse has come to light involving Estes Carter Thompson III, a 37-year-old former American Airlines flight attendant. He has been found guilty of using a hidden iPhone to record videos of young girls, some as young as seven, in airplane toilets.
Thompson would place a “Seat is bad” warning sign on the toilet, misleading passengers into thinking it was faulty. However, an iPhone was concealed behind this sign, secretly recording those using the toilet.
The case surfaced in 2023 when a 14-year-old girl noticed the warning sign and a faint light emanating from behind it, arousing her suspicion. Her report led to an investigation, during which police discovered the hidden camera and arrested Thompson.
A subsequent raid on his North Carolina residence revealed a disturbing collection of illicit videos and MMS messages on his iCloud account, indicating he had been targeting young girls for some time. Disturbingly, investigators also found evidence suggesting he used AI technology to further exploit the footage.
According to an Associated Press report, Thompson admitted to secretly recording the 14-year-old in the airplane bathroom and possessing explicit images of other young girls. The charges stem from a September 2, 2023 incident on a Charlotte to Boston flight.
Thompson directed the teenager to the first-class lavatory under the pretense that the main cabin restroom was occupied, the report said. He then recorded her using his iPhone, which he hid under stickers on the toilet seat. The girl discovered the phone and reported it.
According to the report, investigators later discovered images of four other girls, ages 7, 9, 11, and 14, recorded in airplane bathrooms, along with hundreds of AI-generated child sexual abuse images, all on his iCloud account.
Facing a potential sentence of 15 to 30 years for exploitation and up to 20 years for possessing child abuse images, Thompson’s sentencing is scheduled for June 17. American Airlines confirmed he was removed from duty following the incident.
