United Airlines found itself in hot water this week after a 10-month-old French bulldog named Papacito reportedly died on a flight from Houston Intercontinental to New York’s LaGuardia Airport. According to a passenger on board, United flight attendants instructed the dog's owner to stow the puppy in the overhead bin for the duration of the flight. The dog, which was heard barking during the beginning of the flight, took its last breath somewhere over the U.S.

The passenger posted her observations on Facebook:

"This was a tragic accident that should never have occurred, as pets should never be placed in the overhead bin," a spokesperson for United told The Points Guy. "We assume full responsibility for this tragedy and express our deepest condolences to the family and are committed to supporting them. We are thoroughly investigating what occurred to prevent this from ever happening again."