10 year old autistic boy gets arrested at school

So a 10 year old autistic boy returns to school for a standardized test, only to be arrested for an assault on a school staffer 6 months prior.

Li nk

Quick summary;

John Benji Haywood was arrested at the Okeechobee Achievement Academy in Florida on Wendesday after he showed up to take a standardized test

He had been suspended for attacking a member of staff at the school in November 2016, according to a school incident report

Unbeknownst to the boy and his mother, the school employee decided to press charges and there was a warrant out for his arrest

The boy's mother filmed her distraught son on Wednesday as he was handcuffed and led out to a patrol car

She asked for an explanation and said her son was autistic and 'scared to death'The sheriff's office later said they were unaware that John was autistic

The boy spent the night at a juvenile facility and will appear in court in May for battery of a school employee, which is considered a third-degree felony

The person that pressed charges?

According to a school incident report, John was suspended for punching and kicking a school employee, who his mother claims is 6ft 4inches and weighs about 300 pounds.

Only video I could find, ignore the terrible background music. I'm not sure how I feel about this. The kid is disrespectful and needs to be disciplined badly, but pressing charges on a 10 year old autistic boy is pretty petty too. I don't want to judge the parents either because I don't know what it's like to have an autistic child, but at a glance it looks like the parenting could be better.

With an autistic kid, they can show such a range of behaviors depending on the circumstances that you can't really tell what the parenting is just from that alone.

Kid had a warrant.. Mom and kid skipped out on court or didn't know about it (unlikely).

a reply to: iTruthSeeker

How did an autistic kid get a warrant? At 10 that seems over the top.

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: iTruthSeeker

How did an autistic kid get a warrant? At 10 that seems over the top.

From whatever he did prior I guess. The cops said they had a warrant for him. Had they showed up for court, the kid would have gotten a slap on the wrist at his age.


Maybe it is a little much for his age and mental status I don't know. Maybe more details will come out on what happened in between 6 months ago and now.

a reply to: ketsuko

He attacked a staff 6 months ago and the man pressed charges. Pretty petty imo.

originally posted by: knowledgehunter0986
a reply to: ketsuko

He attacked a staff 6 months ago and the man pressed charges. Pretty petty imo.

See? Kid is 10 and autistic.

If he has a history of being violent with his autism, it should have been known by then, not a new thing. If you are going to get upset, I would think it would be at the ones who tried to mainstream this kid who clearly must have had issues handling it rather than press charges against a kid.

Only in America this would happen, land of the free home of the brave could be renamed to land of free phones and home of the oppressed.

Anyone who thinks this kid being arrested was the right thing to do has shut for brains.

a reply to: hopenotfeariswhatweneed

Either that or there is a LOT we are not being told in this story.

You don't press charges against an autistic kid unless you are a total @sshat and then who in their right mind put you in a position to have to work with kids in the first place?

a reply to: ketsuko

The guy was apparently 6'4 300 pounds. You must be a sad individual to want to press charges on a 10 year old autistic boy.

If the boy is autistic this will be tossed out of court

My cousin still has the mindset of a 12 yr he's about to turn 18 right and wrong to him are vague and at best he knows what he shouldn't do

He should have someone from the state or paid for who works with him and realy is the only person who could tell u if sending the boy to jail is right

Most likaly this was equal to sending a 10 yr to adult prison and that alone is sad

Everyone involved in something like this should be fired ... how do u slap handcuffs on a 10 yr autistic child and go to sleep at night

In high school it's rare that kids got charged for fighting. Suspension at worse.

The police department went to far on this, as did the school.

Edit: if anything in this circumstance a specialist in psychology should have had a few sessions with the lad.

originally posted by: knowledgehunter0986
a reply to: ketsuko

The guy was apparently 6'4 300 pounds. You must be a sad individual to want to press charges on a 10 year old autistic boy.

He might have been tired of it.

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: hopenotfeariswhatweneed

Either that or there is a LOT we are not being told in this story.

You don't press charges against an autistic kid unless you are a total @sshat and then who in their right mind put you in a position to have to work with kids in the first place?

Good question.... I would take a wild guess and say people often choose their careers for financial reasons, not because they are best suited for the job and that is what this guy did.

a reply to: Snarl

Possibly, but why not speak to the parents? The kid was already suspended, what's the point of pressing charges after that?

Luanne can be heard trying to reassure her son while asking the police for an explanation. But they ignore her and march the 10-year-old outside. Luanne then asks, 'Can you tell me what is going on? Or have any paperwork that you can show me? Excuse me?'

The mom and son were put through too much trauma not knowing why the police were taking him away. That in itself is going to be in their minds for a long time.

a reply to: iTruthSeeker

It doesn't give details of the warrant. The link does indicate that:

"When John arrived at school on Wednesday, an officer recognized the boy, who was then handcuffed and led into a police car."

It would be nice to know when the warrant was issued, and why the police didn't go directly to the child's home address. Did they even bother to contact the school to get any information of the incidence?



This is one of those situations where common sense doesn't seem to have prevailed. Criminal charges can be pressed and the suspect can receive an order to appear in court. We don't know if that happened. The police should have been notified ahead of the time that the child was a special needs child.

Too many unanswered questions. What is the purpose of prosecuting this child and what will it accomplish?

Autistic, my a**.

More like an undisciplined brat trying to manipulate his way out of trouble he brought upon himself.

a reply to: 123143

So Doctor may I see you credentials?

originally posted by: knowledgehunter0986
a reply to: Snarl

Possibly, but why not speak to the parents? The kid was already suspended, what's the point of pressing charges after that?

Suspended. Leads me to believe he was gonna be allowed back in school. Pre-supposes that being sent home for a short period is going to 'cure' his autism.

Some people detest the politically correct aspects of what 'acceptance' has devolved into. The 'big guy' obviously had had enough. No one got his un-filtered opinion, because that would have invited a torrent of politically correct backlash.