A federal judge has handed down a sentence to a Davis woman who assaulted her 2-year-old daughter during a Delta Airlines flight from Mexico to Seattle. The incident occurred in May, and the woman prevented other passengers from intervening.
A 33-year-old woman named Breanna Rae Mistler recently pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of assault by beating, wounding, or striking. This plea agreement was announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Seattle.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Brian Tsuchida has decided to sentence Mistler to the time he has already served in custody, which amounts to approximately three weeks. Mistler was held at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac in Seattle. According to custody records, she was released from custody on May 24 after posting a bail bond while awaiting the resolution of her federal criminal case.
As part of her sentence, Mistler has been ordered by the judge to serve a year of parole under the supervision of federal probation officers. Tsuchida mentioned that Mistler will be under the supervision of Child Protective Services, as well as California probation officers, due to a recent conviction in Solano County.
Mistler was taken into custody on May 1 upon his arrival at Sea-Tac Airport on a Delta Airlines flight from Puerta Vallarta, Mexico. According to federal prosecutors, passengers on the flight witnessed Mistler engaging in physical abuse towards her daughter, who was seated by the window. Her mother occupied a seat in the aisle.
According to witnesses on the plane, the child woke up Mistler, and the mother responded by kicking the child.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Mistler denied kicking her daughter but acknowledged hitting and shaking the little girl in her plea agreement.
According to prosecutors, the witnesses provided accounts of Mistler repeatedly hitting the child with her hand, and one witness described Mistler shaking the child vigorously.
Mistler continued with the abuse, according to prosecutors, even when other passengers tried to intervene, telling them to “mind their own (expletive) business.”
“This case is truly shocking, even by the standards of child abuse,” stated federal prosecutors in court documents. This marks the second instance in half a year where Mistler has been accused of putting her child at risk.
During the incident of reported child abuse, Mistler was under travel restrictions imposed by the Solano County District Attorney’s Office due to a burglary charge.
According to records from Solano Superior Court, Mistler was charged with burglary and arson in December following an incident in Dixon. According to court documents filed in the county criminal case, Mistler allegedly broke into her mother’s home by entering through her bedroom window, all while carrying her 1-year-old daughter.
Mistler and her sister were involved in an incident where they vandalized their mother’s car by slashing its tires and stole three custom-made sweaters, each valued at around $100. Additionally, motor oil was also taken before Mistler and her sister decided to barricade themselves inside a storage unit and eventually surrendered to authorities, as reported by the Sheriff’s Office.
In September, Mistler will start serving a four-month prison sentence in California for the arson conviction, according to federal prosecutors. Mistler will start her federal parole once she finishes serving her time in state prison.
Mistler was enrolled in parenting and anger management classes, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. In court, federal prosecutors highlighted the child’s vulnerable situation, emphasizing that the girl, who was only two years old, was stuck in the window seat of an airplane.
According to the prosecutors, the young girl was unable to defend herself or escape from the physical abuse inflicted upon her by her mother.
During Wednesday’s sentencing hearing, Mistler’s attorney, Dennis Carroll, informed the judge that the assault occurred during a time when Mistler was at her lowest point, as stated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The defense attorney informed the judge that Mistler has made significant changes in her life, demonstrating sobriety, self-reflection, and remorse. Additionally, Mistler is currently having supervised visits with her daughter.
During her sentencing, Mistler expressed to the judge that she had reached a low point. I have grown as an individual. I strive to keep improving.
Judge Tsuchida informed Mistler “You are taking steps … I hope you start over with a more stable life — you have a very young child, and she deserves that.”
Carolyn Forstein, an Assistant U.S. Attorney, handled the prosecution of Mistler’s case.