Latonya Eason, the mother of a 10-year-old boy, is suing police for arresting her son for urinating in public while he waited in his mother’s car while she ran an errand. (Photo from Latonya Eason’s Facebook page)
The mother of a Black 10-year-old boy arrested in Mississippi for urinating behind her car while she went into an office on a personal errand has filed a lawsuit against the police and the city where it happened.
Latonya Eason alleges in her federal lawsuit that police in the small town of Senatobia used excessive force in August when they jailed her son Quantavious Eason “like a regular a criminal” and ordered him to serve a probation term before his case was dismissed in his favor.
The federal lawsuit names the city of Senatobia, Chief Richard Chandler, the officer who arrested the boy and four other officers.
“We firmly believe that every individual, regardless of age, deserves to be treated with dignity and respect by those sworn to protect and serve,” said the family’s attorney, Carlos E. Moore, in a news release. “It is our firm belief that law enforcement agencies must prioritize the protection of citizens’ rights and well-being, especially when dealing with vulnerable populations such as children.”
The drama happened on Aug. 10 when Latonya Eason went into an office for what was supposed to be a short visit while her son and his sister waited in the car. But while waiting, her son told his sister he needed to use the restroom, court documents said.
While his mom was finishing up inside the building, Quantavious said he could not wait to go to another place to use the bathroom and needed to go now.
“Without his mother’s permission, he decided to discreetly relieve himself by opening his mother’s car door and using the restroom behind the door, so as to not expose himself,” court documents said.
A Senatobia police officer saw him, notified his mom, gave her a verbal reprimand and sent them on their way. She also verbally reprimanded him, “as any parent does to their child,” court documents said.
But then five officers arrived and told Latonya Eason her son “must go to jail” for urinating behind her car door, the lawsuit alleges.
Quantavious was put into a police cruiser and jailed. He was charged in Tate County Youth Court for being a “child in need of services” before he was released to his mother.
As Law&Crime reported, Tate County Youth Court Judge Rusty Harlow Jr. ordered the boy to serve a term of three months probation and undergo drug testing at the probation officer’s discretion. He was also prohibited from having weapons. Harlow also ordered the boy to write a book report on late NBA star Kobe Bryant as a penalty. His mom refused to sign the probation document when she learned of the conditions the judge ordered.
Harlow ultimately reversed course, dropping the case.
The lawsuit alleges charges were filed because of “personal animosity, bias, and lack of reason outside the interests of justice.”
Latonya Eason said it was unconscionable her child was arrested and ordered to serve probation for doing what “the average child” and “probably some grown men” would do when they have to go and there’s no public bathroom.
The lawsuit alleges police negligence caused her and her son “embarrassment, harassment, PTSD, shock, and other physical, emotional, and traumatizing injuries.”
“Instead of enjoying activities a child would enjoy, his youth is tainted by malicious prosecution,” said the lawsuit, which seeks $2 million in damages for physical injuries, emotional distress, mental anguish and attorney’s fees.
One officer was no longer employed and other officers involved were disciplined, the chief said days after the incident in a Facebook post.
A representative from the police department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday from Law&Crime.
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