7-Year-Old Interrogated for 10 Hours, $250 Million Lawsuit Against NYPD Claims

0
By Brittney R. Villalva , Christian Post Reporter
January 30, 2013|1:15 pm

A mother has filed a $250 million claim against the New York Police Department alleging that her 7-year-old son was held for 10 hours of questioning over a $5 bill.

Frances Mendez accused the NYPD of mistreating her son after he was mistakenly arrested for stealing a $5 bill. Police responded to the incident after receiving a 911 call, according to reports. The caller alleged that Wilson Reyes had punched another boy in the face and then taken his money, a law enforcement source said.

"We responded to a 911 call of a robbery and assault … Eventually, [Wilson] was taken back to the precinct and placed in the juvenile room," the source told The New York Post. "He was charged with robbery. The allegation was that he punched the kid and took his money. He took the money forcibly."

Another boy in Reyes' class at PS X114 in the Bronx later confessed to taking the money, according to legal documents. Mendez said her son was escorted from the class in handcuffs and held in a classroom for four hours before being driven to the 44th Precinct. He arrived at the precinct at around 3 p.m. the police source said, and was released by 7:45 pm.

"That's standard for a juvenile arrest," the source added.

The incident occurred at the beginning of December; charges against Reyes were dropped on Dec. 26.

Follow us

"Reyes was handcuffed and verbally, physically and emotionally abused, intimidated, humiliated, embarrassed and defamed," the $250 million lawsuit against the police force alleges.

The boy's mother also stated that she was not allowed to see her son immediately after arriving at the station. When she was permitted into the room, she claims her son was seated in a chair with his left hand cuffed to the wall. She quickly snapped a photo, according to The Post.

"I never imagined the cops could do that to a child. We're traumatized," Reyes said.

Advertisement
Top Stories

Why Is the Pro-Life Message Winning and Traditional Marriage Losing?

Since Roe vs. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court ...

Nearly 14,000 US Churches Signed on for 'My Hope America with Billy Graham'

The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association recently launched "Lose to Gain," its second half-hour video program installment of the My Hope America with Billy Graham campaign series. With less than five months remaining in the ...

House Passes Federal Ban on Abortion at 20 Weeks; Bill Moves to Senate

Members of the House voted 228 to 196 Tuesday ...

Interview: Frank Page Speaks Candidly About Suicide, Loss of His Daughter

Frank Page, president of the Southern Baptist ...

Evangelical Organizations Partner to Fight Bible Illiteracy Among Hispanics

The National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference and the American Bible Society have teamed up to fight Bible illiteracy among Hispanics by promoting September as Mes de la Biblia, the Month of the Bible.