AN 11-YEAR-OLD boy who has autism, broke his wrist after being "handcuffed for 23 minutes by a cop" because he confronted an alleged "bully."
Jarome Liason, 12, is still afraid of police to this day following the incident, his aunt told
"It was terrible. They treated him like a criminal, and he's only an autistic little boy," Jarome's aunt, Gloria Merritt told the outlet.
Jarome had confronted an alleged bully at Gen. John Stricker Middle School in Dundalk, a suburb of , and was taken to the office, WBAL reported.
The boy then ran out of the office, and was taken to a "focus room."
As the child reportedly began hitting his head against a wall, a staff member tried to restrain him.
"Calm down," the staff member told Jarome, as seen in video.
Minutes later, the school resource officer handcuffed the then 11-year-old boy, WBAL reported.
The officer told the boy: "Roll over."
He tried to resist the handcuffs and said it was "hard."
The boy was seen crying, screaming, and kicking in video from the officer's body camera.
Jarome complained about his left arm being hurt as he was cuffed – and the next day, was found to have broken his right wrist, WBAL reported.
The boy's family is now likely going to file a lawsuit in the incident, WBAL reported.
Sam Pulver family's lawyer, slammed the incident as "a complete systemic failure from start to finish of the appropriate way to deal with Jarome in this setting."
He said the child should never have been handcuffed, according to the outlet.
A spokesperson from the Baltimore County told WBAL that the school's policy allows for physical restraint when it's "necessary to protect" students or others.
Merritt said she had chosen the school for her nephew who has because it could meet his needs.
The incident emerged on the heels of a video of another b
A North Carolina boy was seen in 2018 bodycam footage being held to the ground by a school officer, identified as Statesville cop Michael Fattaleh .
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The cop was heard telling the child: "Spit on me and I'll put a hood on you.”
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School staff put a pillow under the child's head, and removed his glasses.
When the child's mother arrived, Fattaleh told her the boy “is going to be charged with one count of assault, maybe two.”