Autistic child taken from school in handcuffs

COEUR D'ALENE -- A Ponderay mom was left outraged when school officials ordered her autistic 8-year-old daughter handcuffed and taken from the school in a police car.

Outside her Ponderay home, 8-year-old Evelyn Towry, in her pink boots and favorite sweatshirt explains why she's now suspended from school.

"Because I was trying to leave and they hold me down," Evelyn said.

Evelyn is a third grader at Kootenai Elementary and has Asperger's Syndrome, a high functioning form of Autism. On Friday she started to act out.

"She wanted to attend a Christmas party in her cow sweatshirt and they told her she couldn't that she would have to tuck the tail in and put ears down and she dug her heels in the way she does quite often and said she wouldn't take it off," Evelyn's mom Spring said.

Spring says that when Evelyn tried to leave anyway two teachers restrained her, which is when Evelyn began kicking, pinching and spitting on the teachers.

"Well, I kicked because I was upset they were holding me down and I got thumb bruises on me," Evelyn said.

School officials then called the police and Evelyn's mom. When Spring got to school to pick her daughter up police were already escorting Evelyn in handcuffs out of the building and into a police cruiser. Police then took her to a local juvenile detention center where she stayed for an hour, after which she was allowed to go home.

"I was terrified and I was scared and I was hurt and I wanted to throw up. I wanted to take my baby with me," Spring said.

School officials responded to a request for an interview for this story by e-mail, with the district superintendent saying they followed a specific safety plan for Evelyn which was agreed upon by the district and her mental health provider.

The plan, according to the district, says that "If a student assaults staff it is appropriate to call parents, involved support agencies, and local law enforcement officials if needed. All of the above occurred regarding this unfortunate incident."

"I never saw the plan, I never signed the plan," Spring said.

On Tuesday morning the Bonner County prosecutor charged Evelyn with one count of battery.

By Tuesday afternoon the charge was dropped.

"I think it's absolutely ridiculous. She doesn't even know what battery is," Spring said.

Spring Towry and her husband are now pursuing civil action. While they don't excuse their daughter's behavior Spring says it didn't have to go this far.

"I don't want this to happen to another child or another parent," she said.

Where did this happen?  The US?

USA.

Coeur d'Alene is the county seat and largest city of Kootenai County, Idaho, United States. It is the principal city of the Coeur d'Alene Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census the population of Coeur d'Alene was 34,514. The city is located about 30 miles east of Spokane, Washington, which combined with Coeur d'Alene and northern Idaho has population of about 600,000. Coeur d'Alene is also the largest city in the northern Idaho Panhandle.

Good grief! The people at the school should have let her wear her cow sweatshirt to the party. It's ridiculous that they had to be so anally retentive and not let her and have the situation escalate the way that it did.

It is sad and very upsetting what happened to this young girl it could have been prevented if the teacher had any real understanding of autism. Anyways has there been any updates about this story? I heard that the parents were considering legal action.

THis is absolutely appalling.  In what way did Evelyn deserve this sort of punishment?  Sure she acted out only because the stupid school wouldn't allow her to wear her cow sweatshirt to a party.  Which I do not understand why they wouldn't allow her to anyway, it wasn't offensive nor harming.  It's a cow sweatshirt.  

The school should have been professional and allowed her to wear what she wanted to the party, I'm sure other children would have worn far worse clothing.  The poor child, being taken away by the police, it must have been so mortifying for her.  I hope the parents consider legal action in a law suit against the school.

How appalling?

She did nothing to deserve such a punishment. Something so trivial and futile! You would think that school officials these days would have a better understanding of autism. I guess some people never change !

*Then again, not to generalise, but Idaho is rather rural, and rural areas tend not to be as advanced in this knowledge as suburban, and urban areas.* (just a thought to consider, NOT EXCUSING THEIR IGNORANCE)

What is so offensive of a cow sweatshirt?  I still don't understand their reasoning to phone the police and I've read the article twice to try to understand if I've missed something.  Obviously this school lacks common sense.

This whole thing sounds rather rubbish. Like you said Saft, I can't believe they had no other reason to phone the police....other than something as trivial as a cow sweatshirt.

That is no reason to handcuff her, for goodness sake she is an autistic child! They behave very uneducated.

Autistic child or not, you do not handcuff a child regardless of their behaviour.  The school should have shown professionalism by ringing up the mother (immediately) and have a discussion with head teacher, teacher, mother and child. Lack of education is the cause of all of this.  Poor child.

Is there any way for this school to be punished for their actions?

If I recall, such behaviour is against the law, her family could claim a lawsuit. I'm sure there is more that can be done to punish the school for their actions.

Good, they should be punished anyway.

That is incredibly immature and futile. I would not want anyone with such a closed mind to be in any position of authority over me.

The down side is, is that these closed minded individuals are in a position of authority.  Education, Law enforcement, Politics....