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Autistic Teenager Is Beaten by Deputies After Being Mistaken for a Prowler
AP ^ | 3-22-05


Posted on 03/22/2005 11:01:40 AM PST by Indy Pendance


MOUNTAIN GATE, Calif. (AP) - An autistic teenager suffered a head injury and a broken elbow in a beating by three sheriff's deputies who mistook him for a prowler, authorities say.

Pierre Cowell, a 17-year-old who does not speak, had wandered from his home early Friday.

A neighbor, who did not recognize him, called 911 after seeing him outside her home about 2 a.m., Capt. Tom Bosenko said Monday. The woman became alarmed when she heard the doorknob jiggling, he said.

As three deputies approached the house, Cowell ran toward them and bumped one of them, Bosenko said. When Cowell didn't respond to the officers' commands, they used a baton, stun gun and pepper spray to subdue him.

"The officers were very much concerned for their safety," Bosenko said, adding that the deputies thought Cowell was under the influence of drugs. He said that the officers did not know that an autistic teenager was missing at the time.

Cynthia Cowell said she was unaware her son had left their home Friday until deputies came to her door.

"He doesn't understand anything to do with danger. He has to have someone constantly with him," she said.

She said she was surprised the deputies did not know he was autistic until she told them. "Being totally nonverbal would be a clue," she said.




Dammit, Snipe, you are <i>not</i> talking your way out of this one; the kids caught you fair and square, so grant them their three wishes and hand over your pot of gold!

Edited by - Horrido on Mar 28 2005 12:53 PM

Having a five year old son tht has autism, I take a special interest in things like this.... I partially blame the parents for the incident, they know what's going on with they're son, & know what type of precautions to take for HIS saftey... I also blame law enforcemnet for using excessive force!!!! Do you mean to tell me, that they couldn't subdue the suspected perp in any other way???? That young fellah didn't have a clue in the world what was happening!!!! I find this extremely disturbing!!!!<img src=newicons/madani.gif border=0 align=middle>

American by birth, Southern by the grace of God
Better to have it & not need it then to need it & not have it
Better to be judged by twelve then carried by six

K357, my apologies for the title of the thread. It's difficult to back-peddle with my foot shoved as far down my mouth as it is. My morbid sense of humor can sometimes get the better of me when outrageous crap like this happens. I certainly don't mean any disrespect or cruelty. <img src=icon_smile_8ball.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_blackeye.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_dissapprove.gif border=0 align=middle>

Dammit, Snipe, you are <i>not</i> talking your way out of this one; the kids caught you fair and square, so grant them their three wishes and hand over your pot of gold!

No problem Horrido.... I didn't take offense.... What I do take offense to are idiots like these so-called inteligent law enforcemnet oficialls that stepped way over the bounds.... So it's no problem!!!!BTW you got IM.

American by birth, Southern by the grace of God
Better to have it & not need it then to need it & not have it
Better to be judged by twelve then carried by six

Edited by - k357 on Mar 27 2005 5:42 PM

something tells me rainman is gonna get rich. Dumb ass cops

Yeah these jackasses need a little baton time themselves!!!!! They should be charged with assualt, & fired.... We don't need cops like this!!!! I'm not sure how i'd react to some asshole doing this to my son, but I dare say it wouldn't be pleasant, & I 'd more then likely end up going to jail, but there's nobody going to put thier hands on my son in this manner!!!!

American by birth, Southern by the grace of God
Better to have it & not need it then to need it & not have it
Better to be judged by twelve then carried by six

Edited by - k357 on Mar 27 2005 9:02 PM

Thank you Horrido, I do appreciate it....<img src=icon_smile_cool.gif border=0 align=middle>

American by birth, Southern by the grace of God
Better to have it & not need it then to need it & not have it
Better to be judged by twelve then carried by six

I have an 11 yr old austic son. And, it has always been on my mind that if somehow he got outta the house,(I installed key-pad door locks on the INside of the doors of my house) would the police recognize how to handle his behavior?

Those particular cops were ignorant jackasses.

California has way above average autism cases. Alot of autism organizations have sent out info to police depts to recognize and understand this neurological condition. I got info from the internet specifically for police on autism, and brought it to my local police dept. Even had my son finger printed and photo'd, (they were very nice and cool about it)..... God forbid, just in case.

thx for letting me post

Welcome aboard.

<b>"You got me all wrong Mudd...i don't like anyone.</b><img src=newicons/saevil.gif border=0 align=middle>"
<img src="http://worldaffairsboard.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=862&stc=1" border=0>

During my Senior year at High-School, I would go through the school to a center that works with autistic and mentally challenged people, giving them easy jobs to do. The work got done, and the members got paid and worked semi-independantly. Watching them and working with them was an amazing thing.

"Retreat, hell! We just got here!"-Captain Lloyd Williams, 2nd Marine Division, Belleau Wood, France, WWI

thanks sniper