California man spends 3-months hiding in an airport

Man claims coronavirus made him afraid to fly

CHICAGO, Ill. (KYMA, KECY) - A California man says he spent the three-months hiding in a secure area at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport because coronavirus made him afraid to fly.

Police took 36-year-old Aditya Singh into custody this weekend. Singh faces charges of felony criminal trespass and misdemeanor theft.

Singh arrived in Chicago in October. It's unclear why the man from Orange, California came to the city. He told police he stayed in the airport, because he was too afraid of contracting coronavirus to make the return flight.

Singh says he managed to get an airline employees ID, which allowed him to move through restricted areas undetected. He says he survived largely on food given to him by passengers.

As of Monday, he remained in the Cook County Jail on $1,000 bond. The judge says when Singh makes bail, he's banned from entering the airport.

The Chicago Department of Aviation issued a statement saying:

"While this incident remains under investigation, we have been able to determine that this gentleman did not pose a security risk to the airport or to the traveling public."

- Chicago Department of Aviation statement