Girl, 10, Tasered for refusing to shower

Published: November 20, 2009, 11:30 pm

Updated: November 20, 2009, 11:50 pm

Taser gun used on 10-year-old girl who 'refused to take shower'

A police officer used a Taser stun gun to subdue a 10-year-old girl in her own home.

Nick Allen in Los Angeles
Published: 12:12AM GMT 19 Nov 2009

Taser gun used on 10-year-old girl who 'refused to take shower'

A police officer using a Taser gun Photo: PA

The officer had been called to the girl's home in Ozark, Arkansas, by her mother because she was behaving in an unruly manner and refusing to take a shower.

In a report on the incident the officer, Dustin Bradshaw, said the mother gave him permission to use the Taser. When he arrived, the girl was curled up on the floor, screaming, and resisting as her mother tried to get her in the shower before bed.

"Her mother told me to take her if I needed to," the officer wrote.

The child was "violently kicking and verbally combative" when he tried to take her into custody and she kicked him in the groin.

He then delivered "a very brief drive stun to her back," the report said.

The girl's father, Anthony Medlock, who is divorced from her mother, said the girl showed signs of emotional problems but did not deserve to be "treated like an animal".

He said: "Ten years old and they shot electricity through her body, and I want to know how the heck in God's green earth can they get away with this.

"If you can't pick the kid up and take her to your car, handcuff her, then I don't think you need to be an officer. She doesn't deserve to be treated like a dog. She's not a tiger." Local Mayor Vernon McDaniel said the FBI should investigate.

He said: "People here feel like that he made a mistake in using a Taser, and maybe he did, but we will not know until we get an impartial investigation." The local Police Chief Jim Noggle said no disciplinary action was taken against Bradshaw.

"We didn't use the Taser to punish the child, just to bring the child under control so she wouldn't hurt herself or somebody else," he said.

He said if the officer tried to forcefully put the girl in handcuffs, he could have accidentally broken her arm or leg.

Mr Noggle said the girl will face disorderly conduct charges as a juvenile.

Entry #1,363

Comments

PERDUE - Nov 21, 2009, 10:18 am

Give the child to her dad. It appears that the mom is tired of doing her job as a parent and is trying to use the law to dump her kid. I have never had to wrestle with my kids to do anything I've told them to do. Why? Because I don't play with my kids and treat them like we are equals. My kids know where the boundries of respect are and they know that if they cross that line I'll kick their butts to the moon and back. But before I get to the butt kicking level they have received at least five warnings and have been told what will happen if they keep it up.
The can call the police if they choose.. I'll be finished with the beatdown before the police get there. If I go to jail then it is for something I did not something I said I would do. My word is my bond and if I tell my kids I am gonna do something I usually follow through.
And when I kick butt it is usually after more than enough warnings and they are telling me why they getting the promised beatdown.

But I digress. This child does not need to be around this woman. What if this kid would've had a stroke as a result of the tasering? What then? I bet the mom would be trying to sue and get money from the city after she told the cop to do what he had to do. If there is a fine then they should give it to the mother to pay since she is the one who called.

Girl, 10, Tasered for refusing to shower

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