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Florida Mom Outraged After Police Detain Her 12-Year-Old Son For 'Riding His Own Bicycle'

Florida Mom Outraged After Police Detain Her 12-Year-Old Son For 'Riding His Own Bicycle'
@WESH 2 News/YouTube

Police in Apopka, Florida wrongfully detained a Black 12-year-old boy for allegedly stealing a bicycle and his mother is furious.

The recorded footage showed police pulling the child away from a large crowd, his hands in handcuffs by the time he reached the patrol car.


The boy's arrest was captured on video by a bystander and shared by NBC affiliate WESH 2 News.

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The bystander recording the video called out to the police from behind her phone.

"He's scared! He's scared, he's scared, that little boy's scared."

The boy, later identified as Jamir Bradford, was identified as a member of a group who stole a bicycle.

However, after checking the serial numbers on the bicycle Bradford was riding, it was eventually confirmed the bicycle belonged to Bradford, and was not the stolen bicycle.

Bradford was later released back to his mother, Melani Brown, but Brown revealed in a press conference her son was "emotionally scarred" by the ordeal.

"He was arrested, handcuffed and charged with robbery and battery for riding his own bicycle."
"He said ‘Mommy, when I seen the officer with his hand on his gun, I wanted to run."
"I said, ‘For what? You did nothing wrong'."

Brown believes there are still outstanding charges pending against her son.

But civil rights activist John Barnett told WESH 2 News he and a local lawyer couldn't find any charges after checking with juvenile court.

"How do charges just disappear?"

Brown complained to the police about how the situation with her son was handled, and is not ready to stop fighting to ensure such an incident never happens again.

"I wasn’t prepared on Feb. 20, but I am today."
"I’m prepared to fight for justice for my son."

Several viewers of WESH 2 News' report on YouTube expressed their support for Brown, agreeing police officers need to be better trained for instances with children.

"Love how it takes a gaggle of armed adults to deal with a child."- Radar O

T"he Popo’s messed up big time in this one. They detained a child before verifying anything… Anyway you look at it it’s Bad policing."-John John

"WTF is wrong with the officers!"- KAE4860

"12 wow treated like an adult this is America truly traumatizing for that young baby."- Jameek Haynie.

"Those cop's are lucky it wasn't my son the cop's don't have any respect for others people kids there is no excuse for how they handle this."- Adam Ocanas.

Other viewers felt this was an example of racial bias, demanding the officers responsible be held accountable.

"So if you are Black you are guilty until proven innocent. And it takes a team of police officers to hold that trial, who at their discretion, can kill you for “not cooperating”. To serve and protect who?"- Gabe Maldonado

"They don’t treat our kids like kids they see a criminal no matter the age."- Bud Defreitas

"Sometimes when u c these kinds of injustices, ya just wanna open up on 'em... But all we can do is beg 4 POLICE REFORM NOW!!!"- Rutheone

"I Hope these racist Cops GET Fired!!!!."- Vir Dom

"This was too much. I am White and I agree that this went too far. The cops need to go through some kind of training for these situations."- GodBless America 76

It is illegal in the state of Florida to arrest a child under six-years-old. However, several Florida lawmakers, including SenatorRandolph Bracy, are fighting to increase the age to 12 and under.

While a police report at the time of the incident showed an officer removed the handcuffs from Bradford after roughly one minute, the Apopka police have otherwise declined to comment on the incident, saying it has been placed under "administrative review."

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