Curious Toddler Becomes the White House's Tiniest Trespasser

Toddlers are notorious for getting into anything and everything, from kitchen cabinets and underwear drawers to tiny hiding spots, no space or place is safe from their curious nature. So it comes as no surprise that a curious toddler managed to squeeze through the metal fencing on the north side of the most secure house in the nation, earning the title of one of the tiniest White House intruders.

The US Secret Service Uniformed Division officers responsible for security at the White House were quick to respond when alerted to the teetering trespasser. They walked across the North Lawn to retrieve the little adventurer and reunite him with his parents on Pennsylvania Avenue. For a brief moment, access to the complex was restricted while officers conducted the reunification process. The parents were questioned before being allowed to continue on their way.

Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told AP News that the officers “encountered a curious young visitor along the White House north fence line who briefly entered White House grounds.” Fortunately, the White House security systems instantly triggered, and Secret Service officers were able to quickly reunite the toddler with his parents.

The incident may be the first successful intrusion onto the complex since the White House fence was doubled in height to roughly 13 feet (3.96-meters) in recent years after a series of security breaches. Despite being taller, the new fence still has an additional inch of space between pickets, for a total of 5½ inches (12.7 centimeters) between posts.

It’s not the first time the iconic barrier has seen some action, with older children sometimes getting stuck in it and protesters chaining themselves to the fence. But this time, it was a curious toddler who reminded us that no matter how secure a place may seem, toddlers will always find a way to explore.