Recently, the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office in New York has come under fire after two deputies detained and handcuffed an 11-year-old girl after claiming she matched the description of a car theft suspect. The incident took place on Monday afternoon in Syracuse and was captured on video, sending immediate shock across social media.
According to the sheriff’s office, the unidentified child was wearing camouflage pants and a pink jacket, which ironically was allegedly the same outfit that matched the description of the person who was seen getting away in a stolen vehicle. Authorities detained the girl just a few blocks from where the stolen vehicle was seen. Allegedly, dashcam footage showed the suspect fleeing from the stolen car, which resulted in deputies having a reason to detain the young girl.
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The footage of the child interacting with authorities made its way to social media after the girl’s mother shared the clip via Facebook, expressing her frustrations. In the video, the girl is seen standing on a sidewalk with her hands cuffed behind her back while authorities explain to her why she is being detained. As they told her that her outfit matched a car thief’s description, another child in stated, “We can’t drive.” However, authorities countered the claim stating that children participate in car thefts all the time.
Additionally, the footage also showed the girl and her friend pointing out the differences between the girl’s appearance and the suspect’s photo. To make matters worse, a timeline released by the sheriff’s office revealed that the young girl was detained for seven minutes before releasing her after realizing they had made a major mistake but by then, the girl was already crying and traumatized by the situation.
As a result, the situation was met with huge criticism from social media users but the sheriff’s office defended the deputies’ actions due to “reasonable” circumstances. In a statement, they explained that handcuffing is a common protocol for detainees, including minors, to avoid potential uncooperative behavior, flight, or aggression.
“This situation was cleared up quickly, largely due to the juvenile’s disposition, patience, and cooperation,” the sheriff’s office stated.
But, nonetheless, in response to the backlash, Sheriff Tobias Shelley acknowledged the public’s concerns and announced a new policy change that requires deputies to notify parents or guardians whenever a minor is detained, regardless of the duration.
