In 2018, Cops were called to an elementary school in Key West, Florida, after an 8-year-old boy punched his teacher in the chest. According to the arrest report, the boy was charged with battery.
The incident took place on December 14, 2018, at Gerald Adams Elementary, and its current status is unclear. However, a video began circulating Monday, showing police officers scaring the young boy in an attempt to straighten his act up.
He was put in handcuffs, which were too big considering his 64lb pound frame, and transported to jail, TMZ reports.
Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump said the boy has special needs and subsequently slammed the police for their thoughtless tactics.
” Cops “Scare Straight” Young Boy with Special Needs!,” Crump said.
” Unbelievable!! Key West Police Dept used scared straight tactics on an 8 yr old special needs boy.”
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Bodycam footage shows officers lecturing the boy while leading him out of the school and into their squad car. Crump said he was taken to a real jail for processing as if he were an adult.
” He’s 3.5 ft tall and 64 lbs, but they thought it was appropriate to handcuff and transport him to an adult prison for processing,” Crump explained.” He’s so small the cuffs fell off his wrists!
This is NOT how you discipline a child with a mental disability!! We are working to get this little boy and his family the justice they deserve.”
Politician Julian Castro also shared the video on social media, calling the incident “unbelievable,” adding that the “police should have no role in punishing our kids or pulling traumatic stunts like this on our schools.”
However, According to the Miami Herald Newspaper, Key West Police Chief Sean T. Brandenburg, feels that his officers did nothing wrong.
The news outlet reached out to Key West police but has heard no word back.
