Newark mother says police handcuffed her and 8-year-old daughter during apartment raid
Police say they entered Shiela Austin’s home in search of a weapon owned by her 17-year-old son, who may have been involved in a recent shooting incident.
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A mother from Newark says she and her 8-year-old daughter were handcuffed by police during a raid at her apartment weeks ago.
Police say they entered Shiela Austin’s home in search for a weapon owned by her 17-year-old son, who was allegedly involved in a recent shooting incident.
Austin says she and her daughter Takia sat in handcuffs as they watched over 20 officers conduct a search that lasted for around an hour.
In addition to police leaving a mess in the home, Austin says her daughter was terrified by the experience.
Austin says her daughter, who is a Girl Scout and honor student, has grown quiet and withdrawn since witnessing the raid.
"No matter what they said my child did, how they treated us was disgusting and my daughter is traumatized from it. I'm trying to be strong and everything because I have to be. I'm a single mother,” she said.
Austin’s son was detained along with them and then arrested by police. However, she claims her son wasn’t involved in any major crime. She is calling for changes in the Newark Police Department.
Austin also says while the officers wore body cameras, they did not turn them on until they had been inside her home for a while.
News 12 reached out to the Newark Police Department, which said it plans to respond soon.
