8 year old girl tased to save her life

[loststarshine]

http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/09/us/sou...taser-lawsuit/

Police warned the 8-year-old they were going to tase her.

"Within seconds," an officer fired darts from the electroshock weapon into the chest of the 70-pound girl, according to a lawsuit filed by the girl's mother. "The force of the electricity shot through her body, lifted her, and threw her against a wall. After the officers had stunned (the girl) into high voltage submission, they pulled the fish-hook like Taser darts from her chest, gave her emergency medical attention, bandaged the holes left by the razor-sharp hooks, and called the ambulance."

The reason the police were at the home was to keep the girl from hurting herself; the babysitter had called them because the child had a knife in her hand. All parties agree on this point -- the girl's mother, Dawn Stenstrom, as well as the defendants: the city of Pierre, South Dakota, its former police chief, Robert Grandpre, and the four officers at the scene on October 4, 2013.

[Rowanwood]

Re: 8 year old girl tased to save her life

So I would like to know at what point do we say...if it was so easy to subdue this child, why were the police called at all? If they hadn't and she cut herself or cut a cop, then what, would they sue for not stopping her? I think it's a the new normal to immediately blame law enforcement, no matter what they do. Let's SUE!

I get that this was a terrible incident...but I think they would be in for it, no matter what tactic they used, to be honest.

I feel like people should read this: http://www.cracked.com/article_21646...-children.html

Kids can be SCARY, even 8 year olds. A tantrum doesn't involve a knife.

[Gleb]

Re: 8 year old girl tased to save her life

Wow... what only does not happen in the world. If it could have been done easier, without the electroshock, then they should have done it.

[Rowanwood]

Re: 8 year old girl tased to save her life

Wow... what only does not happen in the world. If it could have been done easier, without the electroshock, then they should have done it.

That's the big question: IF.

We weren't there. Its really easy to pass judgement, but I have seen some wild behavior from people, even little ones in my life. I know I'm not suited to be the one making the decision there. And in the end, this kid wasn't cut or killed and neither was anyone else. How easy could it have gone the other way?

I think it is very good to make sure we keep our authority figures in check. I am definitely bent more towards personal responsibility and libertarian ideals...but I also feel like there is a point where if we choose to get law enforcement involved in a domestic incident, we can't then back up and be pissed off when they handle it.

[B. de Corbin]

Re: 8 year old girl tased to save her life

I feel like people should read this: http://www.cracked.com/article_21646...-children.html

Kids can be SCARY, even 8 year olds. A tantrum doesn't involve a knife.

Honestly, people really ought to know about this kind of stuff. I can tell you horror stories about regular schools.

Fact is, if parents actually knew about some of the kids their kids have to sit next to in class, and why that kid is on probation (which is never enforced, no matter how many times the kid violates the conditions of probation 'cause, you know, they're kids [please read about the kid burning down the dog shelter before you judge me too harshly]) or a tether, there would be a lot more understanding, and far, far, far more sensible rules.

[anunitu]

Re: 8 year old girl tased to save her life

I do wonder at this response. I once saw a woman cop(small woman about 5' 3") take out a knife wielding guy (about 6 foot) on a BART train(Bay area Rapid transit) Now she may have been specially trained for this,but that makes me wonder why everyone is not trained to do this. The woman cop did NOT use a weapon BTW.

[loststarshine]

Re: 8 year old girl tased to save her life

Granted we werent there. Why werent her parents called first. If we didnt have tasers what tatics would the police use. I can not pass a correct judgement however i feel some police officers escalate situations. Not implying that is the case here . In nursing we dont get tasers we have to peacefully restrain an demented resident with a weapon. I know its apples and oranges but there is no instant as a medical care provider that it is justifiable to defend my self and assualt my residents. Once again wasnt there just sad to read. If the child was indeed trying to harm herself its sad at only 8 years old she feels death is the only answer.

- - - Updated - - -

Honestly, people really ought to know about this kind of stuff. I can tell you horror stories about regular schools.

Fact is, if parents actually knew about some of the kids their kids have to sit next to in class, and why that kid is on probation (which is never enforced, no matter how many times the kid violates the conditions of probation 'cause, you know, they're kids [please read about the kid burning down the dog shelter before you judge me too harshly]) or a tether, there would be a lot more understanding, and far, far, far more sensible rules.

One of my friends would assult teachers and other students if things didnt happen how she wanted them too. She scored high on her tests so she was allowed to do as she pleased. She giggles about it now. Imho violent children do not belong in class with other kids. I remember a boy had stabbed a girl with another pencil made it go all the way through ( as i was told) that was the fourth grade. I remember being scared of him.

[Medusa]

Re: 8 year old girl tased to save her life

I think I could wait for the kid to lunge at me and then grab her by the scruff and shake the living shit out of her. I think I could do that. Or throw a book at her head. I could hurt her other ways. Yup.

*Imagines fighting 8 year old.

*Tells her santa is dead. That should do it.

[B. de Corbin]

Re: 8 year old girl tased to save her life

Did you ever try to pick up a cat that REALLY did not want to be picked up?

Maybe a smelt dippin' net...

[Medusa]

Re: 8 year old girl tased to save her life

Did you ever try to pick up a cat that REALLY did not want to be picked up?

Maybe a smelt dippin' net...

I'm the cat whisperer. I can do it.

[Gleb]

Re: 8 year old girl tased to save her life

Did you ever try to pick up a cat that REALLY did not want to be picked up?

Maybe a smelt dippin' net...

Cats are awesome!!! And yes, I tried. And one or two times I really managed to do it. Because cats love me!!!

[LordJulian]

Re: 8 year old girl tased to save her life

This is just pure dumb brute force that they have used such methods to easily solve a domestic situation by tasering a young child, and it's a child for god's sake, not a healthy adult that the taser would be most calibrated for, and the taser(if I believe) would be only targeted at aggressors aimed to hurt other intended targets. Surely an option of a counseling approach from a specialist be a better option than inflict intense pain on someone who isn't meant for it? And what if the situation got worse if the taser would seriously hurt or even put her in mortal danger from the shock? Even if the child is being actively aggressive, posing a risk around others, shouldn't the police officers have enough experience to subdue her with minimal force? They are trained police officers that are intended to 'serve and protect' the citizens after all, not military troopers.

The actions of what most American police officers were doing to solve disputes or crimes in the US is what scares me. And for the fact that this fact that from one of the post explaining the realities of troubled children(which I believe the article is directed to the US) shows a big crack in today's modern society.

[loststarshine]

Re: 8 year old girl tased to save her life

This is just pure dumb brute force that they have used such methods to easily solve a domestic situation by tasering a young child, and it's a child for god's sake, not a healthy adult that the taser would be most calibrated for, and the taser(if I believe) would be only targeted at aggressors aimed to hurt other intended targets. Surely an option of a counseling approach from a specialist be a better option than inflict intense pain on someone who isn't meant for it? And what if the situation got worse if the taser would seriously hurt or even put her in mortal danger from the shock? Even if the child is being actively aggressive, posing a risk around others, shouldn't the police officers have enough experience to subdue her with minimal force? They are trained police officers that are intended to 'serve and protect' the citizens after all, not military troopers.

The actions of what most American police officers were doing to solve disputes or crimes in the US is what scares me. And for the fact that this fact that from one of the post explaining the realities of troubled children(which I believe the article is directed to the US) shows a big crack in today's modern society.

It happens fairly often sadly some autistic children have died as a result.

[B. de Corbin]

Re: 8 year old girl tased to save her life

I'm the cat whisperer. I can do it.

LOL - in that case, the next time I have to do it, expect a dinner invite (don't worry - I'm a good cook!).

I still have scars and emergency room bills from last time I had to nab one of our sweet little beloved kitties!

Honestly, I'd have face kicked a kid waving a knife at me. And that would also make fine headlines...

[LunarHarvest]

Re: 8 year old girl tased to save her life

The article is missing so much detail that it is hard to make a proper call, so I went to the independent study itself to find the details of what went on. Below are some excerpts from it.

“When the dispatch calltaker asked the caller what the emergency was, the caller, whom later identified herself as [name omitted] said, ‘I have a child in my house that has a knife and won’t put it down. She’s threatening to kill herself. She’s scaring me.”

“During the 911 call, [name omitted] said to the calltaker, 'She won’t put the knife down; she’s going at herself with it.'”

“When the law enforcement officers made contact with the child in the kitchen of the residence, she was holding the knife to her chest.”

“The child was told to drop the knife several times but refused to do so. At one point she turned the knife and thrust it at Officer [name omitted]. That officer continued speaking to the girl, telling her several times to drop the knife.”

“During the incident, the girl looked towards a hallway and then started to move towards it. Due to the circumstances, Officer [name omitted] deployed his Taser at the girl as she went towards the hallway.”

“Officer [name omitted] did manually shut off his Taser in order to de-activate the Taser’s charge into the child. He did not allow the charge to continue for five seconds, which is the run time before the Taser automatically shuts off. Two of the law enforcement officers checked on the girl immediately, one of them removed the Taser’s probes from her chest.”

“The ambulance personnel placed “Band-Aid’s” on the puncture wounds caused by the probes. The child did not suffer any other physical injuries.”

In referring to the officer’s reasoning for the use of a Taser specifically over physically attempting to take control of the situation.

“If they had attempted to physically control the girl, she could have stabbed herself or an officer. Because of their size and weight, if the officers had attempted to take the girl the ground or wall with any amount of force, the girl could have sustained a broken bone or some other type of injury.”

I side with the law enforcement on this, and agree that they acted appropriately. Is is a horrible thing to have to do? Yes. That being said, it was perhaps the best form of action they could have taken given the situation and circumstances.

Not really relevant to this specific case, but on a similar note on the general attitude I see among a lot of Western nations at the moment. I am all for keeping the law enforcement accountable for any actions they take, and for punishing those guilty of abuses, but I don't really appreciate how people keep jumping on the law enforcement, and assuming the worst from them, without taking into account the full detail of circumstances surrounding the incidents.