TSA: Pat down of 8-month-old baby 'followed proper current screening procedures'

The Transportation Security Administration is again defending itself for applying its airport screening techniques.

This time, however, the passenger was an 8-month-old baby.

A photo posted online by a passenger at the Kansas City International Airport of a baby receiving one of the controversial TSA pat downs has sparked such a stir that the agency responded Wednesday on its website.

The child's stroller triggered explosive alarms, so the officers "followed proper current screening procedures" and checked the whole family, the agency said. The baby - and his parents - "very cooperative and were on the way to their gate in no time," the TSA blog said.

The TSA blog noted that the picture of the baby being patted down that has since gone viral was not taken by a member of the family.

"I’ve changed enough diapers to know a thing or two about 'poop bombs,' but something really stinks about the attention this photo is getting," TSA's Blogger Bob wrote. "The child in the photo was simply receiving a modified pat-down which doesn’t even come close to what the headline implies."

TSA was roundly criticized last month for patting down a six-year-old girl at the New Orleans airport.

The agency posted a link to the picture, which can be viewed here.