DENVER (AP) -- A woman accused of repeatedly hitting her two young children on a flight from San Francisco to Denver has been indicted on assault and interference charges. The indictment against Tamera Jo Freeman was handed down Tuesday and made public Wednesday.
An FBI affidavit alleges that Tamera Jo Freeman, 38, hit and cursed at her 4-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son during the July 16 Frontier Airlines flight. It also alleges that she assaulted and intimidated a flight attendant who intervened.
Freeman was arrested after the plane landed and has been held in jail since. A hearing is scheduled Thursday to determine whether she should be released. Freeman allegedly told an investigator she ''lost it'' and slapped her children during the flight because they were fighting over the window shade and because her daughter had spilled a drink.
The indictment includes one count of interfering with a flight attendant and two counts of assault on a child under 16 on an airplane.
This case is bound to start a vigorous debate about corporal punishment and parental rights. Details here from the AP via the New York Times.