Mother: Boy slapped on plane is now apprehensive

Joe Hundley / WCCO/Kootenai County Sheriff

MINNEAPOLIS A Minneapolis woman says her 2-year-old son was traumatized by a man accused of slapping the boy and calling him a racial slur during an Atlanta-bound flight.

The boy's mother, Jessica Bennett, said in a statement Saturday that her son has become "apprehensive to strangers" since the Feb. 8 flight from Minneapolis.

Joe Rickey Hundley, of Hayden, Idaho, has been charged with simple assault. His attorney said he will plead not guilty.

Bennett, 33, told authorities her son was crying as the Delta Air Lines flight prepared for landing. Hundley, 60, was sitting next to her and slapped the boy in his face, causing a scratch under his right eye, she said.

Hundley "told her to shut that (N-word) baby up," FBI special agent Daron Cheney said in a sworn statement. "Ms. Bennett received assistance from several people on the plane."

Bennett said the infant began crying louder after he was hit.

"Hundley's comments were racist and hateful," Bennett said in a statement to KARE-TV. "The family has numerous questions about how a passenger could get so violently out of control as to assault a toddler."

Hundley was suspended from his job as president of Unitech Composites and Structures, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

Al Haase, president and chief executive of AGC Aerospace and Defense, Composites Group -- Unitech's parent company -- said the firm was taking the matter seriously.

"In accordance with our company's personal conduct policy, we have suspended the employee pending investigation," Haase said in a statement.

[Bussiness1st]

1) A child under the the age of 21 was hit by a drunken stranger.
2) In Flori-duh two same aged youngsters thinking of fighting not throwing blows at each other will be arrested for a misdemeanor.
3) AN ADULT "SHOULD" control his or her actions.
4) The Company paid for the ticket, he was flying on Company business, therefore, on company time as a salaried executive, held to the companies moral standards and vision.
5) Parents are being arrested "daily" for spanking their own children.
6) This was insanely uncalled for, the mother stood at the rear of the plane out of the perpetrators way for 19 minutes before she had to sit down for landing.
7) You and I can equalize the pressure in our ears children don't know how at that tender age.
8) To all you insanely insensitive bigots had someone snuffed you out when you were a child for crying or breaking something you would not be defending this racists baby beater.

[democracy8]

1) Don't know what this has to do with the topic.
2) Perhaps, if they're "Disturbing the Peace". Again, not sure what this has to do precisely with this incident.
3) Absolutely!
4) Absolutely!
5) Yep.
6) Stood for 90 minutes (not 19), but otherwise, yup!
7) Yup
8) Absolutely!!!

[mamalogie]

He has lost his job, the respect of his peers and the wider public. Most probably be given a suspended sentence ( possibly a minor incarceration ...but I doubt that) and the vilification by most of the world.

[alanrobisch]

Slow why does this interest you so. It was an unfortunate incident caused by a bigot who is also a drunk or vice versa. thats it. the child will not be marred for life.

[alanrobisch]

my only question is why didn't the flight attendant take action with this man and why didn't the mother report the difficulty.

[democracy8]

The mother chose to spend 90 minutes standing at the back of the plane because the man was rude from the start. She WAS trying to be considerate. She only sat at the end of the flight, during descent as required. I'm sure she reported the slur and slap. What makes you think she didn't?

[Aussie_convict]

So 7 and Blud if you cant compete in a debate you just report the posts to have them removed. How very mature kids. Don't forget you both got another clan meeting to attend tonight.

[ZannZelsVictoryDance]

Its unbelievable to me that anyone could defend this *******.

I'd like to throw him AND all his defenders OFF the plane & Outta the country!

[democracy8]

I second that. If only...

[jgg000010]

the good news is that the window wasn't open.

[sandiegopete]

This guy was evidently a president of a corporate division. When was it that every corporation of any size had to have multiple presidents? It used to be a few vice presidents was all it took. Now, they need to be presidents. The United States government needs just one president. Large corporations seem to think they need several presidents. Form over substance. That is the byphrase of today's corporate world.

[CuriousServant]

JTKKR: You keep saying "Libs are prone to violence" which not only is hyperbole, absurd, untrue, and malicious, but YOU are the one defending the slapping of a child.

[oldoc44]

There's no defending this drunk curmudgeon who needs a lesson in manners if nothing else; it surely wasn't his place to deal with this kid and whatever the fussing was about. That said, we can all empathise with the situation with unruly kids and permissive moms in the confines of a plane or even in other public places. Moms need some help with parenting skills too often - but this is over the top. A few months in jail and some counseling to bring him into the 21st century are in order!

[catmomtx]

This mom stood in the back of the plane for 90 minutes to keep from disturbing the jerk, what else was she supposed to do, tape his mouth shut?

[rzarc2]

Did you ever have children? I don't think you did or perhaps you're too old to remember. Here's a reminder, 18 month old children cry for various reasons and most times it has NOTHING to do with the mother or her "parenting skills".

So rather then try to blame the mother why don't you stick to the first part of your comments - blaming the racist a_hold who slapped the child.

Father of 4 children.