Milledgeville Police are under national scrutiny after an officer handcuffed a 6-year-old kindergarten student who allegedly threw a tantrum in the principal's office of Creekside Elementary in Milledgeville, Ga.
The child reportedly threw furniture and pulled items off the wall during the tantrum, prompting school officials to call the police.
Local news station 13WMAZ reports an officer attempted to calm the child. When the child failed to comply, she was handcuffed and transported to the police station.
The child's father, Earnest Johnson, told 13WMAZ, "A 6-year-old in kindergarten. They don't have no business calling the police and handcuffing my child."
The child's aunt, Candace Ruff, said the kindergarten student was shaken by the ordeal during which she was reportedly placed in a holding cell, according to WITN.com.
Milledgeville Police Chief Dray Swicord is standing by the decision to handcuff the child.
Swicord said the police department's policy is to handcuff people when they are taken to the police station, regardless of their age, Star.com reports.
The child, according to several news reports, is facing charges of simple assault and damage to property.
Do you think a child as young as six years of age should be handcuffed and taken to jail? Do you believe police and school officials acted properly? Tell us in the comments.
If my 5 your old daughter acted like that being handcuffed and sent to the police station would be the easiest part of her punishment!
I'll cuff myself for that one!
This is absurd. I'm the parent of a 6 yr old in Kindergarten and while there is no reason for a tantrum of this magnitude, pressing charges on a SIX YEAR OLD?? WOW. I can see where calling the police to assist in calming the student may have been necessary if the school staff felt threatened or unable to calm her down themselves, but I am 100% certain other things could have been done to both calm her and resolve the situation in a less abrasive manner. - Andrea J. ok...this is definitely inappropriate....but I could tell my son that the police really will put him in jail for tantrums! lol - Natalie H. A good ass whoopin would calm her ass down too. My kids better not ever act like that at any age. The parents should be embarassed. - Wendy M.
"The child also jumped on a paper shredder and tried to break a glass frame, the police report states." Jumped on a shredder? This could have ended completely different and just imagine those headlines and lawsuits... The parents should be happy as this was far more than a standard tantrum. As odd as it sounds the chief and his officers did the right thing here.
"The child psychologist who thought she had all the answers to parenting until she became one herself." www.themommypsychologist.com
They did what they were suppose to do .And no, this wasn't some child being misunderstood. When 99.9% of all the kids are good and you have one like this, there is a problem. That did what they did to protect the child and others around them. Those that don't like that answer need to spend some time in a school. Or take a hike.