Cop Handcuffing Crying 8-Year-Old Sparks Outrage, Lawsuit
Video of an official placing handcuffs on the wrists of a crying 8-year-old with ADHD has led to the American Civil Liberties Union filing a lawsuit.
Earlier this week, the ACLU released video of the incident (which you can see above), which happened in August 2014 at Latonia Elementary School in Covington, Ken. The boy, identified as S.R., has a history of ADHD and trauma and can be heard telling the school resource officer, "That hurts."
A 9-year-old girl was also allegedly handcuffed.
According to the lawsuit, which cites the Constitution and Americans with Disabilities Act was violated:
As a result of being subjected to unnecessary and excessive handcuffing, Plaintiffs experienced pain, fear, and emotional trauma, and an exacerbation of their disabilities."
The boy had been taken out of class for not listening to his teacher and then tried to leave the principal's office before the resource officer, identified as Kevin Sumner, arrived. The boy allegedly tried to hit Sumner, who responded by placing the handcuffs on him. The ACLU says he was in cuffs for 15 minutes.
The ACLU released a statement on the matter saying, "Shackling children is not OK. It is traumatizing, and in this case it is also illegal. Using law enforcement to discipline students with disabilities only serves to traumatize children. It makes behavioral issues worse and interferes with the school's role in developing appropriate educational and behavioral plans for them."
A lawyer for Sumner told the Lexington Herald-Leader that his client used the handcuffs because the children "were placing themselves and other people in danger of harm and that's what the book says to do."