A 7-year-old boy in Florida was escorted from school and taken for a psychiatric evaluation in handcuffs by police after he allegedly hit his teacher.
The boy’s mother, Mercy Alvarez, filmed her son being led by a police officer in handcuffs to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami on Thursday, Jan. 25.
Alvarez is outraged at the police response, which she perceives as harsh and disproportionate.
“The manner in which he was transported to the receiving facility was done in accordance with standard operating procedures,” said Moffett.
Alvarez took to Facebook to express her anger over the incident. Since her post on Jan. 26, Alvarez told the Herald that “more than 30 mothers in Miami have written to me in solidarity because their children have done the same thing.”
“Due to a great concern for the student and to ensure his safety and that of those around him, he was restricted according to the Baker Act and transported to the hospital to be evaluated,” she said.
Once the boy was restrained, he continued to throw punches and kicks towards the female teacher until they both fell to the ground.
While on the ground the boy kept on fighting until he was restrained once again, the report said.
The teacher reportedly wants to press charges against the child.
The boy was reportedly suspended last November for 10 days for another tantrum at school.
School police said this incident is under review.