An Atlanta, Georgia man was found guilty of second degree child cruelty Tuesday after he slapped a stranger's crying toddler at a Walmart in August. Roger Stephens, 61, will spend six months in jail, followed by six months of home confinement and five years probation. He was convicted in a Gwinnett County bench trial, which are held without a jury.

Police say that Sonya Mathews was shopping at the Walmart in Stone Mountain when her two-year-old daughter Paige began crying. According to authorities, Stephens approached the mother and said, “If you don't shut that baby up, I will shut her up for you." When he encountered the mother and the still-crying child in another aisle, he slapped the girl in the face four or five times and said, "See, I told you I would shut her up."

The child's mother screamed for security, and Stephens was held by a bystander until security and police arrived. He admitted slapping the toddler but said he had apologized to the mother. The police report stated the attack left the toddler with “slight redness” on her face.

Paige's parents were present in court when Stephens was sentenced. He then faced the family and issued an impromptu apology, saying he was sorry “about any stress or anxiety you’ve suffered as a result of my actions.”