A man who pleaded guilty to slapping a crying toddler on an internal flight in the United States has been sentenced to eight months in a federal prison.
According to the Washington Post, Joe Rickey Hundley used a racial slur when referring to the 19-month-old baby and hit him under the eye as the flight from Minneapolis descended into Atlanta.
Hundley apparently apologised to the mother in court and told the judge he took full responsibility before being sentenced.
According to a sworn statement from an FBI agent who investigated the incident, Hundley leaned over as the flight was descending and told the mother of the child to "shut the (N-word) baby up".
He then slapped the child, leaving a scratch under his right eye.
According to the Post, Hundley was flying to Atlanta to take his son off life support after a suspected suicide attempt. He commented: “I made the most terrible day in my life much worse for me and for others."
The mother of the child reported that her son had changed from being a bright a curious child to fearful and guarded.
Breaking News have reported that Hundley's lawyer objected to the sentence, claiming that it was "disproportionate" to the crime committed.
