TSA agent in hot water over ashes

An Indianapolis man is outraged after he says a TSA agent dropped his grandfather's remains.

John Gross' grandpa, Mario Mark Marcaletti, died back in 2002, and his ashes were divided among family members.

Gross says while on a recent Florida trip, a relative there offered him some of the ashes. But when he tried to return home with the remains, he ran into trouble at the Orlando airport.

"They opened up my bag and I told them, 'Please be careful. These are my grandpa's ashes.' She picked up the jar, and she opened it up," said Gross.

"I was told, later on, that she had no right to even open it, that they could have used other devices like an X-ray machine. And, so, she opened it up. She used her finger, sifting through it. And then, she accidentally spilled it. She didn't apologize. She started laughing. I was on my hands and knees picking up bone fragments. I couldn't pick up everything that was lost. There was a long line behind me," he added.

According to the TSA's website, cremated remains must be examined with an X-ray machine. It says "under no circumstances" will an officer open the container.

A TSA spokesperson told Indianapolis news station WRTV the agency is investigating the allegations.

As for Gross, he says he just wants the agency to apologize.