A video captured by a police officer’s body camera showing a 6-year-old girl crying and begging officers not to arrest her, as another cop fastens zip ties around her wrists, sparked anger on social media.
The video shared by the girl’s family on social media platforms shows the first-grader, Kaia, getting arrested for kicking and punching staff members at her school.
Kaia suffers from sleep apnea, which causes her to lash out at school.
If my job required that I handcuff a crying six year old at school, I would not go back to that job the next day. I've peaced out of jobs for less.https://t.co/7KlI4i1fdS
— KJ (@KendraJames_) February 25, 2020
“What are those for?” Kaia asks about the zip ties in the video.
“They’re for you,” Officer Dennis Turner says before another officer tightens them around her wrists and Kaia begins weeping.
“Help me. Help me, please!” Kaia pleads through tears.
As she is being walked to the vehicle, she cries, “I don’t want to go in a police car.”
The second officer, who has not been identified, responds, “you don’t want to? … You have to.”
“Please, give me a second chance,” Kaia says.
The video then shows the officer lifting the sobbing girl into the back seat of the police vehicle and putting a seat belt around her.
TW child abuse
— Qasim Rashid for Congress (@QasimRashid) February 26, 2020
Orlando police arrest 6-YEAR-OLD Black girl for "throwing a tantrum" in first-grade
Compared to White girls—Black girls are:
•5.5X more likely to be suspended
•6X more likely to be expelled
•Percieved as older
Horrific & unacceptablepic.twitter.com/LLcNHCq237
Kaia was processed at a county juvenile center, where her mugshot and fingerprints were taken.
She even had to stand on a stool so her booking photo could be taken.
The 6 year old girl was processed at a county juvenile center, where her mugshot and fingerprints were taken. She even had to stand on a stool so her booking photo could be taken.
— zellie (@zellieimani) February 25, 2020
Have a more diverse police force they say. Hire more black cops they say..https://t.co/KmuNHeK42r
Officials have said that the police officer, Turner, also arrested a 6-year-old boy at another school on the same day as Kaia’s arrest for misdemeanor battery in an unrelated incident. However, the boy’s arrest was halted by superiors before the child made it through the full arrest process.
Six year olds aren't just children; they are babies. The average six year old has only recently stopped taking naps. They haven't fully learned how to read yet. They are fragile - physically and emotionally. This is monstrous. https://t.co/pKDZMBytTl
— Jessica Valenti (@JessicaValenti) February 25, 2020
The police officer was fired shortly after the arrest.
Orlando Police Chief said that Turner did not follow department policy of getting the approval of a watch commander to arrest someone younger than 12.
