Deputies handcuff 11-year-old girl who was playing in snow after school, NY video shows
An 11-year-old girl was playing with her friends in the snow after school when deputies in New York accused her of stealing a car and put her in handcuffs, a video shared to social media shows.
She was handcuffed for nearly seven minutes, then was released after it became “clear” to Onondaga County sheriff’s deputies that she wasn’t the suspect involved in stealing a Kia in Syracuse on Jan. 13, the sheriff’s office said in a news release provided to McClatchy News.
Footage of the incident shows the 11-year-old handcuffed behind her back as she’s questioned by deputies on a sidewalk. After more deputies arrive, the girl begins to cry, a second video shows.
In the first video, the girl’s friends are heard explaining to deputies that the group had recently left school and were playing.
“She can’t drive,” one friend is heard saying about the 11-year-old, who’s seen wearing a pink puffy jacket, dark colored pants and a black bow on her head.
A female deputy replies and says: “what do you mean most kids can’t drive and they’re still out here stealing cars.”
“That’s a sixth grader,” a friend says in response.
The videos were shared to Facebook by a woman who identified herself as the girl’s mother and said her daughter was detained because she matched the description of a suspect.
“When did she have time to steal (a) Kia?” the woman wrote on Facebook, adding that the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office should “do better.”
The sheriff’s office said that deputies had the authority to detain the girl because she closely resembled the description of a female suspect who also wore a pink puffy jacket.
They ultimately confirmed the 11-year-old wasn’t the suspect because of a few differences in their appearances, including the pattern of their pants, the length of their hair and their skin complexion, according to the sheriff’s office.
“In reviewing the incident, the detainment of the juvenile was lawful and reasonable, given the juvenile’s proximity and clothing description,” the sheriff’s office said. “Upon detainment, deputies diligently tried to quickly compare the juvenile with video evidence obtained via dashcam.”
“This situation was cleared up quickly, largely due to the juvenile’s disposition, patience, and cooperation,” the sheriff’s office said.
A change in policy
Sheriff Tobias Shelley met with the girl’s mother Jan. 14 to discuss her concerns about why deputies didn’t let her know that her daughter had been detained, according to the sheriff’s office.
The deputies were only required to alert the mother if her daughter had been arrested, the sheriff’s office said.
Now, the sheriff’s office is adjusting its policy.
“Moving forward, it will be OCSO policy to notify a parent or guardian of any juvenile who is detained for criminal investigative purposes, no matter how brief the encounter is,” the sheriff’s office said.
Before the 11-year-old was released from her handcuffs, her friends repeatedly told deputies that they detained the wrong person, the video footage shows.
The girl was released after deputies received a dashcam footage photo of the suspect involved in the car theft, according to the sheriff’s office.
The image provided to McClatchy News shows the female suspect with a pink coat and camouflage patterned pants. The 11-year-old had on different patterned pants.
After they let the 11-year-old girl go, the deputies are heard telling her that she and the suspect looked like “twins” and that they were “identical,” the video footage shows.
Then, one deputy is heard apologizing before the group leaves.
Three boys, a 13-, 14- and 17-year-old, were charged in connection with the stolen car that fled a traffic stop in Syracuse on Jan. 13, Syracuse.com reported. Four people were inside the car, according to the outlet.
The sheriff’s office acknowledged that people have been asking why the 11-year-old girl was put in handcuffs.
“Detainees may become uncooperative, may decide to flee, or may decide to fight ... Handcuffing from the start usually prevents a controlled situation from devolving into an uncontrolled situation; ultimately preventing altercations, force, and potential for injury,” the sheriff’s office said.
“The police do not definitively know a person’s age and ascertaining that information is part of the detainment process.”
This story was originally published January 15, 2025 at 1:01 PM with the headline "Deputies handcuff 11-year-old girl who was playing in snow after school, NY video shows."
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