LENOIR COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) – A sheriff’s office is speaking out regarding a social media post that has been shared hundreds of times regarding a handcuffed child.
An image shared on Facebook by a woman named “Barbie Slay LaShaye” shows a deputy standing over a child who appears cuffed at the arms and ankles.
The post says “Yall think I should sue? My baby is DISABLED AND I TOLD THEM THAT FROM THE BEGINNING!!! YES HE IS INCOMPETENT!!!”
The post has been shared 475 times as of this writing.
Lenoir County Sheriff Jackie Rogers blasted the post in a press release sent to WITN.
The sheriff said the picture is from October 9, 2023, and shows a juvenile that had been brought to court in handcuffs from a secured custody institution for felony charges.
The sheriff said the child has a history of violent behavior but that his defense attorney requested the handcuffs be removed while in court which was granted.
When the judge ruled that the child would remain in secured custody, the sheriff said the child became violent and flipped over a table in court. Deputies then handcuffed the child.
The sheriff says that the child was not placed on the floor by deputies, rather the child laid on the floor screaming and yelling refusing to get up. Deputies had to remove the child from the courtroom and the pictures that were shared show the child outside the courtroom still refusing to stand.
Rogers said that the child’s mother was disorderly and would not listen to deputies so she was arrested for disorderly conduct.
Roger said the child spat in his face when he tried to calm him down and put him in a vehicle. The child was charged for that.
“This type of conduct will not be tolerated in a Lenoir County Courtroom or by the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office. The deputy in the photo did an outstanding job controlling the situation,” the sheriff said, “Spreading false accusations is not welcome and will always get a direct response.”
WITN has reached out to the woman who made the post but hasn’t heard from her.