Judge Orders Woman Held Until Hearing Friday

The mother of a two year-old and a four year-old was arrested Monday at Denver International Airport for striking both children on a Frontier Airlines flight.

Tamera Freeman, 38, appeared in court on Wednesday where Magistrate Judge Boyd Boland ordered her jailed until Friday, when a preliminary and detention hearing is scheduled.

According to the Associated Press, an FBI affidavit says passengers reported Freeman appeared intoxicated, was using profane language and was abusive to her children prior to boarding the plane. She then allegedly hit and yelled at them repeatedly during the flight to the point they were cowering and crying on the floor.

Freeman also allegedly threw a drink at a flight attendant when she intervened and followed her onto the aisle yelling which the flight attendant read as a threatening gesture so Freeman is also facing a felony charge of interfering with the flight crew.

If convicted, Freeman faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.

The children have been released to relatives, according to a spokesman for the US attorney's office which is handing the prosecution.

Freeman reportedly admitted she "lost it" on the plane and denied throwing the drink at the flight attendant, but had actually set it down on the floor. She said she slapped the children because they were fighting over a window shade.

FMI: www.flydenver.com, www.frontierairlines.com