Date: 08-28-2024

Case Style:

United States of America v. Breanna R. Mistler

Case Number: !:24-cr-00085

Judge: Brian A. Tsuchida

Court: The United States District Court for the Western District of Washington (Washington County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: The United States Attorney’s Office for Seattle

Defendant's Attorney:

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Description:

Seattle, Washington criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with mid-air assault on toddler
California woman sentenced to year of federal supervision for mid-air assault on toddler

Multiple passengers on the flight observed Beanna Mistler, age 33, from Davis, California, abuse a child. The child was in the window seat and Mistler in the aisle seat. The child woke-up Mistler, and then according to witnesses, Mistler turned and kicked the child. In her plea agreement, Mistler denies that she kicked the child but admits hitting and shaking the 2-year-old. Witnesses reported Mistler struck the child multiple times with her hand, and one witness reported Mistler shook the child “like a rag doll.” Despite interventions from passengers, Mistler persisted in the abuse. She told the passengers to “mind their own (expletive) business.”

Customs and Border Protection officers detained Mistler at the airport. The Port of Seattle Police and the FBI took over the investigation. Mistler was held at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac for about three weeks.

Mistler is currently taking parenting and anger management classes. Prosecutors noted the extreme vulnerability of the victim in this case writing to the court, the victim “was two years old, and trapped in the window seat on an airplane. Given her young age and her physical confinement, she had no recourse to resist or avoid being hit, kicked, or shaken by her mother.”

At today’s sentencing hearing, Mistler’s attorney Dennis Carroll told the court that the assault came when Mistler hit her “lowest point.” She is now “sober, reflective and remorseful and currently has supervised visits with her daughter,” Carroll said.

For her part, Mistler told the judge “I hit rock bottom. I am a better person now. I want to continue to be better.”

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn Forstein.

Contact
Press contact for the U.S. Attorney’s Office is Communications Director Emily Langlie at (206) 553-4110 or Emily.Langlie@usdoj.gov.

Outcome:

Defendant was found guilty and sentenced to time served and a year of federal supervision

Plaintiff's Experts:

Defendant's Experts:

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