6-Year-Old Girl Is Handcuffed And Arrested By Florida Police Officer For “Temper Tantrum,” Grandmother Speaks Out

Given everything we know about Florida Man, I think it’s fair to say that law enforcement in the Sunshine State have their hands full. It’s a lawless swamp land out there, and sometimes things can get out of hand.

Here’s an example of, well, not that.

A six year old girl was arrested, like, actually cuffed and taken to the station for fingerprints and a mug shot, in an Orlando school. Her offense? A sleep deprivation-induced temper tantrum. Her grandmother, Meralyn Kirkland, explained that her granddaughter was sent to the principal’s office after acting out in class.

Kirkland told WKMG-TV that while there, a school staff employee grabbed Kaia’s wrists, sparking her to lash out and kick her legs. The school resource officer — Officer Dennis Turner, of the Orlando Police Department — handcuffed Kaia and transported her to the Juvenile Assessment Center in Orlando on a battery charge.

Uhh. . . What?

Sgt. David Baker told the news outlet that for arrests of people under the age of 12, officers are required to get permission from their watch commander — which he said Turner did not do.

Kirkland claims that when she told Turner the 6-year-old has sleep apnea, which the family is “working on getting resolved,” the officer didn’t understand why that would be an excuse for the child.

“He says, ‘Well, I have sleep apnea, and I don’t behave like that,'” Kirkland claimed the officer told her.