A Fort Worth, Texas mother has been released from jail after she was arrested in what some have called a racist incident.
Jacqueline Craig called Fort Worth Police on December 21 to report that her 7-year-old son had been choked by a white man who claimed the boy had littered. In an exchange video recorded by Craig’s niece, the responding officer asked why she didn’t teach her son not to litter. Craig responded that littering does not give a man the right to lay his hands on a child; the officer asked, “Why not?” Craig became angry but did not seem to approach the officer; her 15-year-old daughter stepped between Craig and the officer in an apparent attempt to calm Craig. At that point the officer grabbed the teenager and advanced on Craig, pushing her to the ground and using a stun-gun to subdue her. The officer, who has not yet been named, also arrested the 15-year-old and Craig’s 19-year-old daughter, Brea Hymond.
The video as it was shared is below. It contains some profanity and may be disturbing.
The response to the video, posted on Facebook, was swift. The video has been A crowd of about 100 gathered at Fort Worth’s old courthouse to protest. Craig and Hammond were released Thursday. In a press conference, Craig said she “felt like less of a parent” because she was unable to protect her child.
“The singular most offensive thing is that this is a parent who believed she could call a police officer to the scene to help her in a time of need,” said Attorney S. Lee Merritt, who is representing Craig and her daughter. “Instead of being able to protect her or her child, she was assaulted. Two of her children were arrested and terrorized, and it sent a signal to the 7-year-old, who was just assaulted by a neighbor, that he could never rely on police officers for protection. When police officers were called to protect him, they arrested his mama and his sisters. That’s an attack on this family but it’s an attack on the African American community.”
Merritt also said they want the officer fired and charged, and they want the original incident — the alleged assault on Craig’s 7-year-old son, investigated properly.
Fort Worth Police have placed the officer on restrictive duty while they investigate the incident. In a statement, the police department said they worked through the night to investigate the incident, including interviewing Craig and Hymond. The statement also says police are reviewing evidence including the officer’s body camera video, and asked for patience as they investigate.
