OKEECHOBEE, Fla. (AP) - The arrest of a 10-year-old autistic Florida boy was filmed by his mother who complained that he was treated far too harshly by authorities.
Luanne Haygood told multiple news outlets that her son was arrested April 12 at his school in Okeechobee, Florida, about 60 miles (100 kilometers) west of West Palm Beach. The arrest stemmed from an October incident last fall in which the boy was accused of kicking and scratching an educational assistant, a felony.
The video Haygood shot shows an emotional encounter in which the boy repeats that he doesn't like to be touched as an officer puts handcuffs on him. The boy spent the night in a juvenile facility.
The officers said they weren't aware of his autism, even though the video shows Haygood told them during the arrest.
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