By Joe Anuta
The family of a 7-year-old is suing the city after the boy was handcuffed by officers from the NYPD and led out of his special education classroom April 13.
“We are filing suit,” said Robert Nicholson, the family’s lawyer. “Apologies are not enough.”
The incident began when Joseph Anderson was painting an Easter egg at PS 153, at 60-02 60th Lane in Maspeth.
He became upset when the color on the egg did not turn out as he had envisioned, Nicholson said.
Joseph jumped on the table and threw a tantrum, calling for this mother and brandishing a pair of plastic safety scissors, Nicholson said.
The school called Jessica Anderson, the boy’s mother. It also called the police.
Before Anderson could reach her son, officers had handcuffed the boy and led him to a waiting ambulance.
“I don’t know why they would put him in handcuffs,” Nicholson said. “That the adults would see fit to call police officers on a child that age just boggles the mind.”
Since the incident, Joseph has been consistently wetting his pants and screams every time he hears a siren, Nicholson said.
Anderson has pulled her child out of the school.
Reach reporter Joe Anuta by e-mail at januta@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4566.
