Joe Rickey Hundley pleaded guilty to assault in federal court , his attorney says . He was accused of slapping a crying 19-month-old boy on a Minneapolis-to-Atlanta flight . Hundley had learned the day before that his own son was in a coma , the court heard . Hundley was seated next to Jessica Bennett and her 19-month-old son in row 28 when Delta Flight 721 began its descent into Atlanta . The father and mother were also charged with child abuse for allegedly leaving their children alone during the incident.
Joe Rickey Hundley pleaded guilty to assault in federal court , his attorney says . He was accused of slapping a crying 19-month-old boy on a Minneapolis-to-Atlanta flight . Hundley had learned the day before that his own son was in a coma , the court heard . The father and mother were also charged with child abuse for allegedly leaving their children alone during the incident.