New York Deputies Handcuff 11-Year-Old Girl Mistaken for Car Theft Suspect

The Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office has revised its juvenile detention policy after detaining and handcuffing the wrong child in Syracuse.

An 11-year-old Black girl in Syracuse was handcuffed for seven minutes after deputies mistook her for a car theft suspect based on her clothing.
The girl was walking home from school when she was detained near the site where a stolen car had been abandoned by a group of teens.
Video footage shows the child crying as deputies detained her, despite her friends insisting they had the wrong person.
The Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office defended the detention as lawful but acknowledged the error and has updated its policy to notify parents whenever juveniles are detained.
The incident has drawn criticism from civil rights advocates, who argue it highlights concerns about racial bias in law enforcement practices.