School resources officer is sued after young boy with autism is allegedly handcuffed, provoked and held down for 40 minutes
The incident, which took place in 2018 at a school in North Carolina, escalated when the boy named LG was taken by his teacher and two assistants to a « quiet room » to calm down
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Officer Michael Fattaleh is said to have seen LG spit on the floor as he was escorted, before telling the three staff members « he’s mine now », according to a lawsuit filed by the boy’s mother
The 38-year-old officer then forced the child to the ground and handcuffed him in the process
Bodycam footage then shows Fattaleh holding the boy for 38 minutes, taunting him during the ordeal
Fattaleh – who knew the boy had special needs – reportedly asked the child, « Have you ever been charged? » and told him: « If you, my friend, don’t know about the juvenile justice system, you will be soon », according to court documents
« How on earth would anyone think it was appropriate to handcuff, pin down and taunt a 7-year-old boy with autism? It’s incomprehensible, » said mother’s lawyer Alex Heroy.
« His mother thought she was doing the right thing by sending him to a school where he could get extra help and attention, all to make the system fail in the worst possible way »
During the ordeal, the officer can be seen kneeling on the boy’s back saying « have you ever heard of the term babysitter? I take that term at face value, my friend », according to the court documents
As pinned to the ground, the 7 year old could be heard showing « Ouch, my knee! My knee! It really hurts! »
He was eventually freed by another officer after his mother showed up at school
Fattaleh told mother her son would be charged with « one count of assault, possibly two, » court documents show
The boy – who went to hospital with scratches and bruises – was never suspended or sanctioned by school He returned the next day but was sent home soon after he became « extremely anxious and agitated « , according to the complaint
Handcuffs, school, autism
World News – UA – Watch: Outrage after 7-year-old boy with autism ‘handcuffed and pinned to school’ – NZ Herald
SOURCE: https://www.w24news.com
