Hayden man allegedly slaps child on plane

The president of a Hayden manufacturing company is accused of slapping a 2-year-old boy and telling the mother to "shut that ('N-word') baby up" while on a flight from Minneapolis to Atlanta, court documents said.

According to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court, for the northern district of Georgia, Joe Rickey (Rick) Hundley, 60, allegedly struck the toddler seated next to him as the plane descended toward Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on Feb. 8. Hundley didn't return calls seeking comment Friday.

The complaint was written by FBI agent Daron Cheney, who is based in Atlanta and investigates crimes aboard aircraft.

The mother of the child, 33-year-old Minnesota resident Jessica Bennett, was trying to quiet her son who began crying because of the change in altitude on Delta Air Lines Flight 721, the complaint said.

"Ms. Bennett stated that Joe Rickey Hundley then turned around and slapped (the child) in the face with an open hand, which caused the juvenile victim to scream even louder," the complaint said. Bennett couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

She told investigators the strike to her son's face caused a scratch below the right eye.

Bennett then received assistance from several people on the plane. One passenger said he witnessed the strike.

District attorneys officials say Hundley was not taken into custody and it is unclear when the case will go to court.

"We think that it is important to let the case develop, and we'll see how it all comes out," Hundley's attorney Marcia Shein said Friday.

Hundley is president of Unitech Composites and Structures, Hayden, a large manufacturer of composite products for aerospace, transportation, military, commercial and industrial applications.

Hundley spoke with The Smoking Gun website, which broke the story. He said he didn't slap the child and didn't use a racial slur

Bennett also spoke with The Smoking Gun, saying Hundley "reeked of alcohol." She said Hundley had consumed several double vodkas on the flight.

The Associated Press contributed to this report