A seven-year-old boy was handcuffed by police at his school in the Bronx, according to a lawsuit filed against the city and the NYPD.
Frances Mendez said her son, Wilson Reyes, was “interrogated” for 10 hours by police on December 4, the NY Post reported, after being falsely accused of stealing $5 from another child.
According to court papers filed by her lawyer, Jack Yankowitz, the boy was held in cuffs at his school, P.S. X114 in the Bronx, for four hours, then brought to a precinct where he was held for another six hours.
NYPD Inspector Kim Royster told the Post that the story was “grossly untrue in many respects, including fabrication as to how long the child was held in the precinct, which was less than half of the time mentioned.”
An unidentified officer reportedly told the Daily News that the boy was not treated badly, was allowed to see him mother, and was given pizza.
The lawsuit brings a claim against the city for $250 million.
The NYPD told Metro that their Internal Affairs Bureau was investigating the incident.
Another boy has since come forward to accuse Reyes of being a longtime violent bully.
