Life

Judge Acquits Squatter who Lived at O’Hare Airport for 3 Months

A man who decided to stay at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport for three months instead of catching his connecting flight to his home in India has been acquitted on a felony trespassing charge.

Aditya Singh, 37, received the pass on Thursday after the Chicago Department of Aviation told a judge Singh hadn’t done anything wrong. “Mr. Singh did not breach or improperly enter secured areas,” says Christine Carrino, an aviation department spokeswoman. “He arrived there like tens of thousands of arriving passengers do every day, by stepping off a plane. While we won’t speculate on Mr. Singh’s motivations, he decided to remain in the secure area and made every effort to blend in as a passenger and airline employee until his arrest.”

For his part, Singh — who arrived at O’Hare on a plane from California — says he decided against boarding his connecting flight because he was worried about catching COVID-19. In a text message sent to a friend during his three-month stay, Singh wrote, “I’m actually growing spiritually due to this experience and I know I will come out stronger.”

Do you think you could survive for three months in an airport?

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