NFL player says TSA spilled mother's ashes inside suitcase

New York Giants defensive tackle A.J. Francis says agents from the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) spilled his late mother’s ashes in his suitcase during an inspection of checked luggage before a flight. Francis was flying from Arkansas after spending time with family following his mother’s death last month.

On Monday morning, Francis tweeted about his frustration with the TSA, along with a photo showing the ashes scattered on items of clothing inside his luggage.

“Hey you pieces of [sh*t] @TSA next time you [a**holes] feel the need to go thru my mother’s ashes for no reason, make sure you close it back so her remains aren’t spilled on all my clothes,” he wrote.

The photo included a flyer from the TSA informing Francis that his luggage was among the pieces of checked luggage that was inspected by agents.

He continued to tweet about the incident, saying he has no problem with the TSA checking his bag, but said the agents were “irresponsible” when handling the urn that held his mother’s ashes.

“The craziest part of this @TSA [sh*t] is that I dont even care that they checked it… they were just being cautious, & I can understand that. But to not ensure that it won’t spill back into my bag after you put it back in is the most asinine & irresponsible [sh*t] I have ever seen.”

The TSA apologized to Francis on Twitter, replying with a link to file a formal complaint.

“Our officers are trained to handle your carry-on and checked property with care. Out of respect for the deceased, under no circumstances should the container be opened. Please accept our apologies and our condolences,” the agency’s customer service account said.

CBS News reached out the TSA for further comment, but didn’t immediately hear back.

Francis joined the Giants in May after playing for several NFL teams, including the Washington Redskins and Seattle Seahawks.