In the US, when a police officer pulls a gun, even a child knows they're not safe from being shot. During an arrest in Florida, a toddler was seen to have thrown herself to the ground, begging cops not to shoot her and her mother, placing her hands behind her back.
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In Winter Haven, police responded to an incident involving a man with a gun outside a grocery store. The situation had already transpired by the time they arrived. The alleged criminal, Godfrey Hercules II, had driven away with a woman and her daughter in his car.
Police persued the man, spotting his car only a mile away. Hercules was apprehended quickly. But, the woman and toddler he had in his car were also ordered to hit the ground by the police. Because the situation involved a weapon, police had also pulled theirs before ordering Mariah Banks to lie face down on the ground.
Both the mother and her toddler got on the ground, with armed cops approaching. Speaking to news outlets later, the mother, who faced no charges, spoke about her daughter's reaction. "She knew that they had the guns pointed at her, towards her, in her direction." Continuing, she said, "She felt the need that she shoulda got down. She also said, 'Please don't kill me, don't kill me or my mom."
The toddler knows that cops often kill people seemingly without warning. There are enough instances of quick-trigger cops. Even the child knew that she and her mother were in danger.
Cops Are Quick To Reassure Face Down Toddler
The cops, approaching the toddler with her hands behind her back, were quick to realise how tragic the situation was. The severity of pointing a loaded weapon at a child dawned on them. They immediately tried to rectify their mistake.
Police Chief Vance Monroe noted that "When [the officer] saw the child, immediately that tip [of the gun] came down." After they had cuffed the mother, the cops also sat the toddler in her view and talked her down in a calm manner.
But, looking back on the situation, Monroe did admit that they could have handled the situation differently. "In hindsight, I wish there was something that we could do to change how this young lady engaged with us and how we engaged with her," he said. "I know moving forward we will definitely be looking at ways and other avenues that we can safely and effectively engage with our citizens."
No charges were made against the man or woman.
