Summary

A 12-year-old autistic boy in Lee County, Florida, was unjustly jailed overnight due to a lack of understanding and proper procedures by local law enforcement and school officials, sparking outrage and highlighting the need for better training and support for individuals with autism and other brain disorders.

Abstract

In Lee County, Florida, a distressing incident occurred where a 12-year-old autistic boy was imprisoned overnight after being accused of sending a threatening email to his school. Despite the boy's developmental age being equivalent to a 5-year-old and clear indicators in his communication style that suggested he did not author the email, officials failed to recognize these signs and did not consult his Individual Education Plan (IEP) during the investigation. This oversight led to a traumatic experience for the boy and his family, reminiscent of a similar case in 2010 where a lack of understanding about spectrum disorders resulted in a child being charged with a felony. The incident has prompted calls for improved training for law enforcement and school personnel in dealing with individuals with autism and mental illness, emphasizing the importance of compassionate and informed approaches to avoid such injustices in the future.

Opinions

The author expresses deep concern and frustration over the treatment of the autistic boy by Lee County officials, considering it a grave injustice.
There is a strong belief that law enforcement and school officials should be better educated and trained to handle situations involving individuals with autism and other brain disorders.
The author advocates for the implementation of programs that teach compassionate approaches and proper procedures when interacting with mentally ill and autistic individuals.
The incident is seen as evidence of a broader issue where negligence and a lack of understanding can lead to severe consequences for vulnerable populations.

Who in Their Right Mind Jails a 12-Year-Old Autistic Boy?

Lee County, Florida, officials, that’s who

This is wrong on so many levels.

I live in Lee County, Florida. It’s beautiful, seemingly has a strong educational system, and is rich in history, culture, and tropical scenery. Never have I questioned my decision to move here roughly 2 years ago.

However, once I heard a report on the radio this morning, I was sickened by the county’s actions where I reside.

I am familiar with the world of autism and the variety of colorful and unique presentations that are quite individualized. Upon learning of a 12-year-old autistic boy in our county being traumatized by his treatment, and being jailed overnight, I died a thousand deaths.

First, I bled for the boy.

Then my heart broke for the parents.

I’ve walked the same ugly path of uneducated people making life-altering decisions.

My daughter, by all physical appearances, seemed like all the other 14-year-olds. However, her spectrum disorders presented in emotional delays. She did not process social cues or information like her peers.

She, too, was questioned at her school by Police without a parent present. Thankfully she was not carted off to jail. That didn’t stop them from charging her with a Class B Felony.

Thousands of dollars later, pounds of educational materials regarding Asberger’s Syndrome NOS (Pervasive Developmental Delay) for the attorneys and courts, and we got it straightened out.

It was not easy.

My family’s ordeal was in 2010, and also in Florida. To think law enforcement hasn’t come any further along in the understanding, treatment, and proper procedures, regarding brain disorders, is more than frustrating.

I previously wrote a story about a courageous and vibrant woman who ultimately created a program to train NJ State Troopers as a result of her son’s mistreatment. You can read that below if you’re interested.

The point is, it can be done. Our law enforcement can learn compassionate approaches for the mentally ill as well as those on the spectrum.

One Small Woman Makes One Huge Difference in Police Officer Training

A heroine and advocate for the mentally ill.

medium.com

On September 23, 2021, an email was sent to a teacher at the Three Oaks Middle School, in Lee County, which said,

“I’m taking a gun to school on Friday; I’m going to kill ever (sic) one.”

Scary for everyone involved, right?

Understood.

However, a little research would have gone a long way. The accused boy is autistic and is quite obviously on a different emotional level than his schoolmates.

According to a family member, her nephew’s mentality is equivalent to a 5-year-old.

Additional distinctions could have been made quickly had anyone checked the email to see it was vastly different from his typing capabilities. He does not type with spaces and the threat was obviously spaced.

When the student wasn’t present in the school on the day the email was reported, a school resource officer went to his home. His mother was not there and yet the student was interviewed without her.

“Interviewing an autistic 12-year-old without his mother present is almost never OK,” the family’s Attorney Malcam Godwin said. “But the statement itself — interviewing an autistic 12-year-old without his parents, I think anyone, even if you’ve never went to law school, would find that unsettling.”

Yet another missed opportunity occurred with the lack of communication regarding the boy’s file. Special needs students are supported with an IEP (Individual Education Plan) which would indicate the disabilities and resources being implemented.

Didn’t anyone feel this would be an important step in the investigatory process?

Lee County Sheriff’s Office has subsequently identified a different suspect and has not charged the autistic student.

See our local Wink News report here:

Family says Lee County sixth-grader traumatized after spending night in jail

A family is outraged after they say their child with autism was traumatized after spending a night in jail. No charges…

www.winknews.com

Whether or not you have a child or family member who is challenged with a spectrum disorder or a mental illness, you should be outraged.

How dare a child receive substandard treatment at the hands of negligent officers?

And, yes, I use the word negligent because an unwillingness to learn about these disorders, a lack of programs and training, is unacceptable.

Even with the sensitivity involved around a threat made to any teacher and school, potentially harming many, a few quick questions would have saved this boy from further trauma.

Rushing to judgment has damaging results.

If you aren’t outraged, what will it take? Are the family members to be left to their own devices, just like we were in 2010, forever?

This is wrong on so many levels.

Just like that, another decade has passed with little to no discernable progress.

Let’s educate ourselves, help educate others, and openly communicate to help eradicate stigma.

Can we do this for the kids?

For their future and ours?

There are numerous valuable resources right at our fingertips:

Autistic Advocacy

SPARK for Autism

Sources:

A Mom's View of Mental Health

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