Woman accused of assaulting toddler on flight from Mexico to Seattle charged

SEATTLE - A woman accused of repeatedly assaulting a toddler on a flight from Mexico to Seattle this month is now facing a misdemeanor assault charge.

Breanna R. Mistler, 33, was arrested at Sea-Tac Airport on May 1 after she allegedly kicked and abused a two-year-old child on a Delta flight from Puerta Vallarta.

According to the criminal complaint, multiple passengers witnessed Mistler shake the child "like a rag doll" after the toddler woke her up.

Despite other passengers intervening, Mistler continued abusing the two-year-old, the U.S. Attorney's Office says.

After the flight landed at Sea-Tac, customs and border patrol officers noted multiple bruises on the toddler.

Mistler was arrested at the airport and later transported to the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac after her hearing on Monday.

In the hearing, a judge said he was concerned about the safety of the child "because (Mistler) had committed the assaults in front of so many people on a lengthy plane trip."

Child Protective Services is now working to place the child with a relative. It wasn't mentioned if Mistler was the child's mother.

Mistler's next hearing is a preliminary examination scheduled for May 16.

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