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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Six year old girl arrested in Florida

218 replies

Userwhatevernumber · 26/02/2020 21:44

Sorry if there is already a thread about this, I couldn’t find one.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-us-canada-51638871/six-year-old-girl-arrested-at-florida-school

AIBU to think this is totally unacceptable and the US police are heartless and cruel?

It’s things like this, that put me off ever living in America 😢😡

OP posts:
Frenchw1fe · 26/02/2020 23:15

@Triggering if you think it was appropriate to arrest that 6 year old then you shouldn't be teaching.

SewItGoes · 26/02/2020 23:16
Hmm

I guess it's ok to take one extreme story (thus it being in the news; it's hardly a common occurrence!) and then make harsh judgements and insulting comments about a whole country so long as it's the US.

Amusing, really, considering how quick some MNers are to call out "xenophobia".

JudyCoolibar · 26/02/2020 23:16

I don't understand why both officers weren't disciplined.

I don't understand why the only thing the officer did wrong was failing to get his superior's approval - which implies this would all have been fine if the superior approved.

I don't understand why they thought it was remotely appropriate to handcuff a 6 year old girl. What threat can they possibly have thought she posed?

I don't understand why it's apparently OK for a single male officer to take a restrained child in his car on his own. Surely that's potentially dangerous for both of them?

The American law enforcement system is truly fucked up.

Daftodil · 26/02/2020 23:16

Besides which, you can see from the body cam footage at the end that the arresting officer is discussing the arrest with a group of black, female members of staff... and what do you think would happen to a group of black females if they had resisted on behalf of the little girl? Their body language clearly shows that they are fearful of the officer.

Good point @SachaStark. But couldn't somebody go with her in the car?

In the UK I think we are less scared to challenge the police

Yes @TinklyLittleLaugh, but would we be as brave if the police all had guns and a high acquittal rate for shooting people?

Blubelle7 · 26/02/2020 23:18

Not even surprised it was a black child...disgusting

sunshinesky · 26/02/2020 23:24

This is absolutely horrific. That poor little girl, her pleading is heartbreaking. How could no-one bear not to intervene??

FortunesFave · 26/02/2020 23:26

The US is the most awful place. In Australia and the UK, a child has to be 10 to be arrested. What is it in the US? Fucking 1?? What next? Arresting toddlers who misbehave!??

If this child's behaviour was so bad that her teacher couldn't cope, then they need a specialist to manage her in class...that's all!

JuanSheetIsPlenty · 26/02/2020 23:26

I don't understand why both officers weren't disciplined.

Both were investigated. Second officer was proven to have no clue first officer didn’t have approval. Apparently he raised concerns about the arrest a few times but was never told not to proceed.

FortunesFave · 26/02/2020 23:27

Judy me neither!?? The one who did the arresting and spoke all that shit should have also been sacked.

Deathgrip · 26/02/2020 23:28

I guess it's ok to take one extreme story (thus it being in the news; it's hardly a common occurrence!) and then make harsh judgements and insulting comments about a whole country so long as it's the US.

Because this is the first story where American police have behaved despicably? This story is nothing compared to those where police literally get away with murder, or frame innocent people.

JudyCoolibar · 26/02/2020 23:28

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Nancydrawn · 26/02/2020 23:31

Look, there are a lot of things wrong with America. There are enormous problems with race and violence. And this is an appalling incident. But calling the entire country a shithole is outrageous.

Britain isn't a shithole because London police caused a man to have a seizure after leaning on his throat. His crime? Parking on a yellow line with a blue badge. (www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/police-brutality-video-london-tower-hamlets-seizure-disabled-a8998331.html Story) That happened this July.

I'm not making an equivalence between the two incidents. I'm saying that the level of anti-American vitriol here is reflexive rather than thoughtful.

FoamingAtTheUterus · 26/02/2020 23:33

Oh they topped that.

Another child of the same age was taken from school by police and put into a mental health facility for having a tantrum. This was without her parents knowledge.

It's not often I'm proud to be British but at least in the main were fucking human 😳

Rosehip10 · 26/02/2020 23:33

America policing is great providing you are not poor or god forbid not white.

Rosehip10 · 26/02/2020 23:35

@Nancydrawn In American the the person parking on a yellow line would probably have been shot.

FoamingAtTheUterus · 26/02/2020 23:36

This was it. It's not often I'm speechless. 😳

www.google.com/amp/s/www.washingtonpost.com/education/2020/02/16/nadia-king-florida-baker-act/%3foutputType=amp

Daftodil · 26/02/2020 23:36

She might've had "a meltdown", but she had calmed down and was reading a book with a staff member when the officers arrived. Hardly a huge threat. Surely she should've been returned to class to continue with her day at that point, perhaps a note home to her parents, and encouraged to apologise to whoever she kicked. Restraints were totally unnecessary for a scared 6yo. And her futile pleas of "please help me" are just harrowing.

JuanSheetIsPlenty · 26/02/2020 23:36

Another child of the same age was taken from school by police and put into a mental health facility for having a tantrum. This was without her parents knowledge.

Shock

I just have no words!

Sofonisba · 26/02/2020 23:38

Look, there are a lot of things wrong with America. There are enormous problems with race and violence. And this is an appalling incident. But calling the entire country a shithole is outrageous

Well, I wasn't calling it a shithole purely because of this incident. It's a shithole for many reasons, some of which you mentioned.

And yeah, England is pretty damn shitty. Not as bad as the US, but not TOO far off.

moondance19 · 26/02/2020 23:40

The way he was bragging about how many people he’d arrested and how old the youngest one was. Like he was proud of himself. Makes you wonder how many more like him there are over there.

TheBlueStocking · 26/02/2020 23:40

It's absolutely heartbreaking. That poor little girl.

JuanSheetIsPlenty · 26/02/2020 23:44

The way he was bragging about how many people he’d arrested and how old the youngest one was. Like he was proud of himself.

Yes it was quite surreal. He was speaking to someone who was in tears that he had jus arrested and bound a 6 year old crying child, and he starts bragging about his arrest record and the youngest he had arrested. What exactly was he expecting? Was he thinking they’ll be real impressed by this? Did he think he was speaking to his colleagues? Confused

NigellaAwesome · 26/02/2020 23:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Raspberrytruffle · 26/02/2020 23:53

Dear god this is absolutely unforgivable. That poor little baby was terrified I just wanted to comfort her. Most kids misbehave at school but its unessacery to arrest her how about going on the naughty step? Lines after school you know regular teaching our children

DioneTheDiabolist · 26/02/2020 23:55

The arresting officer was investigated for abusing his own 7yo son. He had no business being anywhere near children. Hes a sick fuck.Angry