Child wakes up to man with his face under her clothes on Pennsylvania flight, feds say
A Pennsylvania man was sentenced to prison after officials say he sexually assaulted a child on an airplane.
On July 29, 2022, Edward Decker was on an overnight American Airlines flight from San Diego to Philadelphia, according to a Nov. 1 news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
McClatchy News reached out to Decker’s attorney for comment on Nov. 5 but did not immediately hear back.
While on the flight, “Decker intentionally touched the thigh and breast of a minor while she was sleeping,” officials said.
The girl, who was between 12 and 16 years old, was sitting in the same row as Decker, according to officials. She woke up to find Decker’s hands and face under her clothing, touching her body, prosecutors said.
“There is nothing more important than the safety and security of our customers and team, and we take any allegation of misconduct onboard our aircraft or at any of our facilities very seriously,” American Airlines told McClatchy News in an email.
“Edward Decker’s actions on that plane are profoundly disturbing,” U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Romero said in the release. “There’s no excuse for touching anyone in a sexual manner without their consent — let alone a sleeping underage stranger. The victim in this case has shown remarkable courage throughout this entire process.”
Decker, 46, pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact on an aircraft in May. He was sentenced to six months in prison Nov. 1, according to court records.
“Every person has an expectation of and, indeed, the right to fly on a U.S. aircraft without being abusively sexually contacted,” Wayne Jacobs, special agent in charge of FBI Philadelphia, said in the release.
This story was originally published November 5, 2024 at 12:11 PM with the headline "Child wakes up to man with his face under her clothes on Pennsylvania flight, feds say."
