Nicole Richie has been out of the spotlight for a while, but that didn't stop one amateur photographer from dropping his kid just to snap a picture of the former "The Simple Life" star.  

Nicole Richie was traveling cross-country recently when she spotted a paparazzi on her flight. According to Richie, the photographer was with her from New York To LAX, and once they'd landed, he rushed off the plane. 

Once outside the plane, he dropped his kid to the ground to get pictures of the former television actress who has become involved in numerous charities since stepping down from full time acting. 

Here's what Richie wrote as a caption to the photos below:

"This paparazzi dragged his poor, sweet little girl on my plane from NYC to LA. As he ran her off the plane, he dropped her ON THE FLOOR of LAX as she laid there, crying her eyes out.. Just to get his shot. #Heartbreaking #FatherOfTheYear." 

Richie is married to Good Charlotte singer, Joel Madden and the married couple have two children of their own, so Richie is allowed to make comments about questionable parenting.

But Richie was arrested for driving under the influence in 2005, and she only completed her probation work in 2011. She smoked marijuana and took a presciption vicodin before getting in the car.

She headed the wrong way on the freeway and was pulled over after other motorists noticed the erractic driving. 

But Riche's been out of the spotlight and out of the tabloids recently and hasn't been involved in any legal disputes in a while (despite completing her rehab and probation work less than two years ago). 

Now she's spotting unruly paparazzi and castigating them over Instagram. My, how the millennium has changed.