Recently, the press is all over the arrest of a ten-year old whose drawing must have been very offensive, because the school had her arrested by HPD in front of her peers. According to reports, the child was handcuffed and taken away without parental knowledge. The HPD is defending its actions.
And this is where it gets sticky.
I cannot comment on the arrest and handcuffing of a ten-year old girl, except to say that by all appearances, it seems like a bold action that must have happened for some reason. It seems on the face to be a horrible miscalculation – and as a member of the public it appears appalling. Giving the benefit of the doubt, it is still hard to fathom that a small child could become so threatening as to require such action.
I contrast that with a recent incident that occurred with a family member.
Weighing no more than 105 soaking wet, this woman is tiny by any standards, and she is the mother of a 5-year old boy. The neighborhood is full of youngsters in the same age group who play together in the cul de sacs.
On a recent evening, the townhouse neighbor (sharing a wall) was heard arguing with his girlfriend. The parents of a four-month old baby girl, it was yet another argument between them like so many before this, until the women and her baby came screaming “help” to the back sliding glass door.
Upon letting her and the child in, she explained he was drunk and stoned, dragging her around and beating her with her child looking on, as well as the roommate and friend. Their fight had ensued because he picked her up from work with the baby in the car stoned on cocaine and drunk. She called for police assistance while the perpetrator, the baby daddy, took off in her car. The police arrived and explained they had been called to the address a dozen times. They monitored while she packed her stuff and called a family member to pick her up. They left before the boyfriend returned.
As she was getting into her brother’s car, he came out of the house, which he had apparently entered from the back, having parked at a distance so as not to be detected. He threatened and screamed, further frightening my family member and her son.
My girl had come out of the house to request that he stop screaming with all the children in the neighborhood listening.
The neighbor raised his fist and pulled back his arm to strike her, stopping the punch just before he hit. My girl helped the momma and baby into the car and bid them goodbye, while the neighbor continued to scream obscenities.
As she was walking to the door he raised his fist twice more and threatened her before entering his own home, which shares a thin wall with hers.
The police were called a second time and she made a police report, when they made him come out for her to identify him. She was advised to file a TRO. The police refused to arrest him, though they knew he was loaded, he beat his girfriend, and endangered their child, he threatened my daughter, he disturbed our peace, he was driving the car under the influence and his license had been suspended for too many DUIs.
The entire incident was filmed by security cameras in the area.
The woman and baby were back the next day.
In court for the TRO, the judge and the bailiff admonished the victim not to use the TRO as “a weapon” against the man, who lives right next door, has a drinking/drug problem and is a violent abuser.
Maybe the outcome would be better for the victim if he had drawn a picture.