You won’t believe who breached the White House!
In a hilarious but very serious turn of events, on Tuesday a young child managed to make their way onto the White House grounds by squeezing through the metal fencing located on the north side of the executive mansion.
According to a statement provided to Fox News Digital by Secret Service chief of communications Anthony Gugliemli, the Uniformed Division of the Secret Service came across a curious child along the north fence line of the White House on the same day. The child managed to briefly enter the White House grounds.
“The White House security systems instantly triggered Secret Service officers and the toddler and parents were quickly reunited,” Gugliemli said.
The Associated Press reported that access to the 18-acre Washington, D.C. complex was momentarily restricted as the officers helped reunite the child with their family on Pennsylvania Avenue.
The officers briefly questioned the parents before permitting the family to proceed on their way.
Instances of children slipping through the fence are not uncommon and have been reported in the past as well.
Similar incidents have been reported in the past, including in April 2015 and August 2014, when small intruders managed to enter the grounds. In some cases, older children have also become trapped in the fence.
It is worth noting that this incident occurred despite efforts by the Secret Service and National Park Service to enhance security measures, including doubling the height of the fence to approximately 13 feet, since 2019 in response to previous security breaches.
As stated on the Park Service’s website, the two agencies have been collaborating closely since 2014 to create a suitable barrier that strikes a balance between maintaining public access to the White House and its grounds and guaranteeing the safety of the White House and its occupants.
Construction of the northern, southern, and eastern sections of the White House fence has already been finished, but the construction of the western section is still ongoing and is anticipated to be completed later this year.