California Woman Arrested After Alleged Abuse of Toddler During Flight

Travelers get their bags at Seattle Tacoma International Airport (also known as Sea-Tac Airport) on March 8, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. Karen Ducey/Getty Images

A 33-year-old California woman was arrested May 1 at a Seattle airport after passengers claim she kicked and shook her child during a flight from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Breanna Mistler, of Sacramento, was taken into custody at the Sea-Tac Airport when the flight arrived.

A U.S. District Court judge ordered her to be detained on the misdemeanor charge Tuesday while she awaits trial, noting that the alleged 2-year-old victim was “particularly vulnerable,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington state.

According to the criminal complaint, multiple passengers aboard the flight alleged seeing Ms. Mistler abuse the child.

The child allegedly woke up Ms. Mistler who was sleeping during the flight. She then allegedly kicked the child, according to the report.

At another point, witnesses claim Ms. Mistler shook the child “like a rag doll,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office reported.

Despite attempts by passengers to intervene, Ms. Mistler allegedly continued the abuse.

Customs and Border Protection officers detained her at the airport and reported seeing bruises in multiple places on the toddler, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The Port of Seattle Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have taken the case over for investigation.

The child was cared for by a victim witness specialist following the arrest. Child Protective Services is involved with placing the child with a relative, according to the report.

Ms. Mistler was detained at the Federal Detention Center at the Seattle airport.

In ordering her detainment, Judge Brian Tsuchida said he was concerned about the child’s safety “because [Ms. Mistler] had committed the assaults in front of so many people on a lengthy plane trip.”