Philadelphia pays $2M to mom, 29, dragged from her car and beaten by officers in front of her toddler son after she unwittingly drove into middle of BLM unrest
Philadelphia has agreed to pay $2million to a black mother after police officers beat her, separated her from her toddler son and used a photo of the child with an officer as 'propaganda' during a protest last year.
The city announced Monday that they had reached the settlement agreement after negotiations with the lawyers of Rickia Young, a 29-year-old nursing aide who was the victim of the alleged attack.
A Philadelphia officer and sergeant have also since been fired in connection to the incident, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. An additional 15 officers are also facing disciplinary proceedings.
Jim Kenney, the city's mayor, called the officers' actions 'absolutely appalling' and said the incident 'should have never happened'.
Young, although recovered from her injuries, says she may 'never heal' from the after effects of the incident and that the officers involved 'need to be held accountable'.
Philadelphia has agreed to pay $2million to Rickia Young (pictured) after police officers beat her, separated her from her toddler son and used a photo of the child with an officer as 'propaganda' during a protest last year
'The pain of seeing those images of my son in the arms of an officer and a horrible caption written to describe that picture may never heal,' she said at a press conference attended by WPVI reporter Walter Perez.
'I will never forget what those officers did to us that night. I hope that the officers responsible will never have the chance to do something like this to another person ever again.'
Young was driving in West Philadelphia on Oct. 27, 2020 with her then 2-year-old son when her path was blocked by a protest following the fatal shooting of Walter Wallace Jr.
Despite her efforts to comply with police orders to turn around, Young's attorneys say officers swarmed her SUV, pulled her from the vehicle and beat her.
Video from the incident was shared on social media.
In a statement released Monday, Mayor Kenney said: 'This terrible incident, which should have never happened to anyone, only further strained the relationship between the police and community.
'The officers' inexcusable actions that evening prompted an immediate and thorough investigation of the incident and for personnel to be disciplined and held accountable for their egregious conduct. I hope that the settlement and investigations into the officers' actions bring some measure of closure to Ms. Young and her family.'
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw also issued with a similar tone.
'The behavior that occurred during the interaction between Rickia Young, her nephew, her son, and some of the officers on the scene violated the mission of the Philadelphia Police Department,' Outlaw wrote.
'As a matter of fact, the ability for officers and supervisors on the scene to diffuse the situation was abandoned, and instead of fighting crime and the fear of crime, some of the officers on the scene created an environment that terrorized Rickia Young, her family, and other members of the public.'
Young was driving in West Philadelphia on Oct. 27, 2020 with her then 2-year-old son when her path was blocked by a protest following the fatal shooting of Walter Wallace Jr. Despite her efforts to comply with police orders to turn around, Young's attorneys say officers swarmed her SUV (pictured), pulled her from the vehicle and beat her
Young was temporarily detained before being transported to a local hospital for treatment. Her head was bleeding from an open wound and the left side of her body was littered in bruises from when officers hurled her onto the concrete
In addition the disciplinary actions taken by the police department, Young's lawyers have called on District Attorney Larry Krasner to file criminal charges against the officers involved.
Krasner told the Inquirer that he could not confirm a criminal investigation and said that often times investigating officer behavior during 'chaotic incidents' can present a 'challenge in terms of locating body-worn cameras for the individuals involved.'
'When you have a situation that is somewhat fluid on the street, it is more difficult to reconstruct exactly what officer was where, when,' he told the newspaper.
Young has also filed a lawsuit against the National Fraternal Order of Police, which two days after the incident posted a photo on social media of her child in the arms of an officer.
The now-deleted post read: 'This child was lost during the violent riots in Philadelphia … the only thing this Philadelphia Police officer cared about in that moment was protecting this child.'
According to the suit, Young is seeking damages for invasion of privacy and infliction of emotional distress.
After the incident, the National Fraternal Order of Police posted a photo on social media of Young's son in the arms of a Philadelphia officer. Young has since filed a lawsuit against the organization, seeking damages for invasion of privacy and infliction of emotional distress
Young, 28 at the time, picked up her nephew, then-16, from a friend's house in West Philadelphia on Oct. 27, 2020.
As she drove back home with her son, 2 at the time, and nephew, she turned down Chestnut Street, where demonstrators protesting the police killing of Walter Wallace Jr. and officers had collided in an intense confrontation.
Waiting at the end of the Chestnut Street was a line of officers, who told Young to turn around and leave the area.
Young responded by attempting to make a three-point turn, but this allegedly prompted a violent response from officers who were already on edge.
Her attorneys said that Philadelphia officers surrounded her SUV and smashed through all six windows before dragging both Young and her nephew out of the car.
Cell phone footage shows a swarm of officers, some carrying large shields and batons, surrounding the motionless vehicle before letting loose a barrage of strikes.
The officer threw the two older relatives onto the ground and grabbing the two-year-old from the back seat.
Young was temporarily detained before being transported to a local hospital for treatment. Her head was bleeding from an open wound and the left side of her body was littered in bruises from when officers hurled her onto the concrete.
Cell phone footage shows a swarm of officers, some carrying large shields and batons, surrounding the motionless vehicle before letting loose a barrage of strikes
Young was later released without charges and the Philadelphia Police Department's internal affairs unit launched an investigation into the concerning ordeal
Sgt. David Chisholm, a 13-year veteran, was fired from the force for violating departmental policies, including inappropriate communications or conduct while on duty, use of force, and lying or attempting to deceive during a departmental investigation. Officer Darren Kardos, a seven-year veteran, was fired for excessive use of force and physical abuse with a baton
Her nephew also reportedly suffered injuries from the incident and the toddler was hit on the head, leaving behind a large bump on his forehead.
Young was later released without charges and the Philadelphia Police Department's internal affairs unit launched an investigation into the concerning ordeal.
Sgt. David Chisholm, a 13-year veteran, was fired from the force for violating departmental policies, including inappropriate communications or conduct while on duty, use of force, and lying or attempting to deceive during a departmental investigation.
Officer Darren Kardos, a seven-year veteran, was fired for excessive use of force and physical abuse with a baton.
Several other officers are still awaiting disciplinary proceedings.
In the days following the event, the Fraternal Order of Police, the country's largest law enforcement union, shared a now-deleted photo to its social media pages.
It showed a female Philadelphia officer holding a small two-year-old boy as he clung to her neck.
'This child was lost during the violent riots in Philadelphia, wandering around barefoot in an area that was experiencing complete lawlessness,' the post claimed.
'The only thing this Philadelphia police officer cared about in that moment was protecting this child.
Walter Wallace Jr. (pictured) was killed during a police-involved shooting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in Oct. 2020
'We are not your enemy. We are the Thin Blue Line. And WE ARE the only thing standing between Order and Anarchy.'
At the time, Attorney Riley H. Ross III, said the version of events outlined in the post was unequivocally false and described the move as 'propaganda'.
Ross was one of the attorneys representing Young in a civil rights case that was sparked on the first night of protests in Philadelphia, where Walter Wallace Jr. was killed in a police-involved shooting.
Wallace Jr. was shot dead by Philadelphia officers after he approached them with a knife.
The family of Wallace Jr., who suffered from bipolar disorder and was in crisis during the incident, said they called for an ambulance to help him with his mental health emergency - not police intervention.
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