Update (December 11, 2018): The NYPD has been condemned by the public and elected officials for arresting 23-year-old Jazmine Headley after snatching her one-year-old son from her arms. Now the BBC reports the mother, who was booked for resisting arrest, will not be charged with any crime.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez issued a statement on Tuesday confirming the decision, arguing pursuing a case against Headley would “not serve any purpose, and I therefore moved today to dismiss it immediately in the interest of justice.”
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio echoed Gonzalez’s sentiments, and added that Headley and her son should be reunited “as soon as possible.”
This morning my office spoke to the Brooklyn DA about dropping the charges against Ms. Headley. I applaud the DA’s decision to do so. She should be reunited with her child as soon as possible.
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) December 11, 2018
Headley is expected to be released from New York's Rikers Island prison on Tuesday, according to NBC News. She has been ordered to report to court on Wednesday to face a separate charge.
Original: The New York City Police Department is investigating an incident in which a group of officers appeared to pry a child from the arms of his young mother while reportedly trying to subdue her at a social services office in Brooklyn.
The video, which was first uploaded by Facebook user Monae Sinclair, shows officers approaching Jazmine Headley, 23, who was sitting on the floor of the social services building. The officers then surrounded Headley and wrestled the toddler from her grasp.
While in custody, Headley can be heard shouting, "They're hurting my son! They're hurting my son!" At one point, an officer unleashed a taser and pointed it at the crowd, writes Politico.
A representative for the NYPD said it would review the disturbing video in question.
"Video images of the incident in the 84th precinct are troubling, and the event is under review by the NYPD and HRA Police," NYPD Sgt. Jessica McRorie told Politico in an emailed statement. "This review will include examination of all available video of the incident."
When asked why she was arrested, police claimed Headley was "disorderly" and Human Resources Administration (HRA) officials asked her to leave. When she didn't, they contacted authorities.
"As NYPD officers were attempting to convince the woman to depart the facility, HRA peace officers brought the woman to the floor," McRorie claimed. "NYPD officers then attempted to place her under arrest. She refused to comply with officers' orders, and was then taken into custody."
According to The Hill, Headley was arrested for resisting arrest.
As for her son, the 1-year-old has been placed in the care of a relative while investigations continue, and New York's Administration for Children's Services is aware of the situation.
The video has caught the attention of city officials, and one is demanding the officers face suspension while a probe into the incident continues. Letitia James, the New York City public advocate and state attorney general-elect, condemned officers for using such aggressive force on the young woman.
"A full investigation must be conducted immediately, and the results should be made public so there is a transparent accounting of how this horrific situation occurred," James wrote in a Facebook post on Sunday. "No mother should have to experience the trauma and humiliation we all witnessed in this video."
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