Police HANDCUFF girl, 6, after she 'threw a tantrum at school'



Police handcuffed a six-year-old girl after she threw a tantrum at school and could not be controlled by teachers or police.



The drastic action came after Salecia Johnson from Milledgeville, Georgia began throwing furniture in the classroom and tearing items off the walls.

The girl was crying in the principal's office when police arrived and she resisted when an officer tried to calm her, a police report said.

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Tantrum: Salecia Johnson, six, began throwing furniture at school so teachers called police, who handcuffed her and took her to a police station

Unable to control the girl, and for her own safety, the officer handcuffed her, WMAZ-TV reported.

They then took her to a police station where she was charged with assault and damage to property.

'Our policy is that any detainee unreported to our station in a patrol vehicle is to be handcuffed in the back.

'There is no age discrimination on that rule,' Milledgeville Chief of Police Dray Swicord told the news channel.

Unimpressed: The youngster's parents Constance Ruff and Earnest Johnson, pictured, said teachers overreacted by calling the police

Anger: The girl's aunt Candace Johnson said the teachers should have tried other ways to calm her before getting the police involved

The police added the girl knocked over a shelf that hurt the principal at Creekside Elementary - yet her relatives are outraged over the reaction.

'Call the police? Is that the first step? Or is there any other kind of intervention that can be taken to help that child?' Candace Ruff, Salecia's aunt, asked.

'She might have misbehaved, but I don't think she misbehaved to the point where she should have been handcuffed and taken downtown to the police department,' she added.

'A six-year-old in kindergarten. They don't have no business calling the police and handcuffing my child,' said Earnest Johnson, Salecia's father.

Last resort: Police and teachers argued they did it for her safety

The girl noted that the handcuffs hurt her hands when they were put on.

Police said they tried to contact the girl's mother Constance Ruff but could not reach her, WMAZ reported.

Instead, the child was taken to a police station. Due to her age, she will not have to go to court and will not be sentenced.



Constance Ruff added that her daughter was suspended and cannot return to school until August.

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