Lehigh Acres, FL — Sophia Gordon’s 12-year-old son Noah suffers from a traumatic brain injury. His symptoms are similar to that of someone on the autism spectrum, according to his mother. However, this had no bearing on the police officers’ decision to charge into their home last week and arrest the mentally challenged child.
Gordon tells Fox 4 news that Lee County sheriff’s deputies were searching for alleged statue vandals when her son Noah ran out of the house in his underwear.
“They accused my son because they saw him running,” said Gordon. “The first officer grabbed him on the shoulder. My son reluctantly grabbed the officers hand for him to let go.”
This reaction from Noah was apparently perceived as a threat by the officer who then called for backup. However, according to Gordon, his reaction was due to his traumatic brain injury last year which required several surgeries and has left him in a diminished mental state. According to Gordon he still suffers from side effects from his traumatic injury that are similar to that of autism.
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“He does have a traumatic brain injury, so the tendency is more of autism. He doesn’t like being touched,” Gordon said.
As Fox 4 news reports, an arrest report indicated Noah went back to his home and shouted threats at the deputy when he was confronted. Gordon said the deputy then entered her home and drew his Taser.
“I grabbed my son’s hand and brought him back inside, and the officer went ahead and came into our home with a Taser, pointing directly at my child,” Gordon explained.
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According to Gordon, she explained to the deputies that her son suffers from a traumatic brain injury. But, apparently, the deputies did not care. They barged into her home with tasers drawn, threw down her son, causing him injury, and eventually put him in handcuffs.
Gordon says, and has pictures to back up, that Noah sustained injuries to his eyes and forhead during the arrest.
“There shouldn’t be any other injuries with a TBI. From what we’ve learned from all his doctors and neurosurgeons, we have to be cautious with everything he does,” said Gordon.
To add insult to injury, Gordon herself was arrested for attempting to protect her son from the deputies as they barged into her home. She was charged with obstruction without violence. According to Gordon, all she did was try to stand in between deputies and her son.
“They need to know more about the child and the environment. They need to speak to the parent before hand and not just put handcuffs on a child,” she said.
According to Fox 4 news, when Noah got to the Sheriff’s Office for booking, medical staff said he had to be sent to the hospital for clearance because of his TBI. He is now at home, serving a 21-day home detention.
Whether or not police showed evidence that Noah committed the crimes for which he was charged is unclear as they are remaining tight-lipped on this case. As Fox 4 news reports, when they asked the LCSO to explain the situation, they said they couldn’t comment until after an investigation.
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Even if Noah had damaged the statues in his neighbor’s yard, the reaction by the deputies seems over the top. They were dealing with a young boy in his underwear, who exhibits symptoms like that of autism, who was simply afraid of the men who were trying to take him. Once they entered into his home with tasers drawn, all of Noah’s fears were then realized.
Noah’s family has since created a GoFundMe account for help with medical expenses. You can donate here.
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