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7-year-old interrogated by NYPD for 10 hours: family sues

A New York mom says her 7-year-old was interrogated for 10 hours by police in December. The 7-year-old interrogated was falsely accused of stealing $5 from a student at school. The parents are suing the city and NYPD.

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Frances Mendez/NY Post
The 7-year-old interrogated for 10 hours can be seen handcuffed in a photo taken at the police precinct by his mother and given to the NY Post.
  • By Staff Associated Press

| New York

A 7-year-old Bronx boy's family says he was handcuffed after being falsely accused of stealing $5 from another student after school.

His mother, Frances Mendez, told the New York Post Wilson Reyes was "interrogated" by police for 10 hours on Dec. 4.

"My son was crying, 'Mommy, it wasn't me! Mommy, it wasn't me!' I never imagined the cops could do that to a child. We're traumatized," Mendez told the New York Post last night.

"Imagine how I felt seeing my son in handcuffs!" she said. "It was horrible. I couldn't believe what I was seeing.. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.”

Family attorney Jack Yankowitz filed a $250 million claim against the city and the New York Police Department.

He said Wilson was handcuffed and held in a room at P.S. X114 in the Bronx for four hours, then transported to a police precinct. He allegedly was held there for six hours and charged with robbery.

The Post says the city dropped the charge Dec. 26. A spokesman declined to comment.

School officials say the incident occurred off school grounds. It referred inquiries to the NYPD.

Police had no immediate comment.

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