A New York mother is furious after her 11-year-old daughter was handcuffed on her way home from school in Syracuse after being misidentified as a suspect in a stolen car investigation.
The mother, who asked to stay anonymous, said she received a call about her daughter’s detention as she was waiting for her to come home from school on Monday.
Her daughter’s cousin, who was walking with her, pulled out her phone to videotape the two Onondaga County Sheriff’s deputies handcuffing her relative, which is how the incident’s footage came to light.
The girl’s mother told ABC11, “She no longer wants to walk to and from school anymore. That was the only freedom she had, and it’s now gone. I can’t make sense of it. I couldn’t even finish watching the video. Even if it wasn’t my child, I wouldn’t be able to finish watching the video because that’s not how you handle children.”
Deputies claimed that the girl they caught matched the description of a young person who reportedly stole a Kia and escaped a traffic stop, stating that the girl’s pink jacket and “camo” pants were the same as those worn by the suspected thief, according to WSTM.
Though the students continually informed the officers that they had the wrong person, the deputies claimed they were lying, giving them a photo of the suspect.
“Girl, you gonna tell me this ain’t you?” said one deputy to the handcuffed girl in the video.
The 11-year-old girl broke down in tears when other deputies showed up and the situation’s reality set in.
After some time, the deputies discovered that the girl they had handcuffed was not their suspect. According to one of them, the car thief they were trying to find had longer hair. They apologized and said that given the description and photo at their disposal, it was a simple error.
“I’m sorry about it, but you match the description pretty clearly,” one of the deputies said. “You guys are good to go, ok. I’m sorry.”
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On Tuesday, the sheriff’s office explained why the 11-year-old girl was arrested, stating that she was near the scene of the traffic stop the suspect was involved in and that she was dressed like the suspect.
The sheriff’s office said the girl was detained for seven minutes. After a review of the incident, her detainment was deemed “lawful and reasonable.”
This is the statement that the sheriff’s office issued regarding the handcuffing:
“Why would we handcuff this child? Detainees are usually handcuffed initially. Detainees may become uncooperative, may decide to flee, or may decide to fight. In some cases, detainees may be armed or have contraband/evidence they will try to destroy. Handcuffing from the start usually prevents a controlled situation from devolving into an uncontrolled situation; ultimately preventing altercations, force, and potential for injury. The police do not definitively know a person’s age and ascertaining that information is part of the detainment process. Handcuffing juveniles in this circumstance is lawful, within policy, and common practice in law enforcement.”
The sheriff’s office said Sheriff Toby Shelley met with the mother of the 11-year-old and discussed her concerns with her, calling the conversation productive.
Moving forward, it will be sheriff’s office policy to notify a parent or guardian if a juvenile is detained as part of a criminal investigation, the sheriff’s office said.
