A family is speaking out after their teenage daughter with autism was removed from a shop by police officers. The incident occurred when the girl attempted to buy a DVD, but the store had closed its tills. Staff allegedly became abusive towards the family, prompting them to call the police. Five officers arrived and escorted the girl out of the store, leaving her distressed and traumatized.
The family of a teenager with autism have said she has been left traumatised after being removed from a shop by police officers.Eileen Mitchell said her sister tried to buy a DVD that cost £2 in the CeX store in Lisburn, but tills had closed for the day.'There was no understanding. There was no empathy. There was no awareness from police,' said Dr Mitchell.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said a woman with complex needs was removed from the shop by a family member, assisted by police. One officer was injured. The Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland has been notified.Eileen Mitchell said her sister and their parents had been Christmas shopping when Katie spotted a Thomas the Tank Engine DVD. She was unable to buy it as the store had just closed its tills. 'She couldn't understand what was going on and my mum pleaded with them if she could pay the £2,' Ms Mitchell said. 'Mum even offered to come back the next day with the DVD to see if they could take a photo of the DVD so they would have the barcode,' she added. Ms Mitchell said her mother tried to explain that Katie has a learning difficulty but staff became 'quite abusive with my parents. They started swearing at my sister.''One of the staff members asked my mum if Katie had a leash, if my mum would put her on a leash to take her out of the store.'Ms Mitchell said that her mother tried 'to calm Katie down', adding: 'She's not an animal. She's not a dog.'The girl's mother decided to call the police but the family said what happened next was 'just completely shocking'. 'Five police officers came into the store, didn't speak at first...The staff explained the situation to the police officers that the store was closed and as far as the police concerned the door was closed. Katie needed to leave.'Katie is a 'vulnerable adult who was at this point crying in the store and had her hands in her ears', according to her siste
Autism Police Shop Family Traumatized
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