A shocking video that will just break your heart was uploaded to Facebook over the weekend, by the father of a 9-year-old boy with autism.
The video shows his son getting handcuffed and escorted out of school.
Ronnie Shepperd, the father was there filming as his son was arrested at Needham Elementary School.
“He’s watched the video several times. He still talks about it. He’s pretty traumatized over the whole ordeal. Any 9-year-old that’s being arrested, they don’t know what’s going on,” said Shepperd.
Shepperd says that his little boy was defending himself against bullies who continuously hit him on the playground. “Another student was bullying my son several times and he actually told the principal and a lot of staff members here who are in charge of recess about the bullying and they didn’t take no steps to make it safe,” said Shepperd.
Another student who saw what happened said the 9-year-old and another boy got into an argument over a butterfly. He pushed the boy down and started choking him. When a teacher came by to try to break it up, the 9-year-old jumped on the teacher’s back and started choking her.
Franklin Police Chief Tim O’Sullivan confirms that a student at the elementary school was arrested for battering another student as well as two teachers.
The boy was charged as a juvenile with battery and criminal mischief. Shepperd says his son was kept for about 20 minutes at the Johnson County Juvenile Detention Center and then released to him.
Franklin Schools Superintendent Dr. David Clendining says anytime there is an incident that threatens safety, they involve the police. Dr. Clendining says the principal made the right call in this case.
Shepperd says that this incident occurred about three months ago but said he held the video on his attorney’s advice until the case moved through the system. Now, it seems that justice prevailed and all charges against the young boy with autism have been dropped.
“I decided it’s time to post them. I think it’s time to put it out there and let the public know what’s happening in our schools,” said Shepperd.
Shepperd says the 9-year-old is now at Earlywood Education Center in Franklin where he’s doing “awesome,” and hasn’t been in any trouble since he’s been there. The Father says he would ideally like the boy to go back to Needham Elementary but says he’s scared for him because of the bullying.Even if his son did instigate a fight—he is only 9— and getting arrested and taken to jail is an ominous sign of our current police state status in America.