Bodycam footage reportedly captures the moment Florida officers rescued two young children after their mother allegedly dragged them onto a second-floor apartment ledge.
Delray Beach Police Department uploaded the video to Facebook Wednesday, which they said showed a 23-year-old woman acting “erratically” while on the narrow ledge with her two young children, ages 1 and 3, who were half-naked and crying.
“Sgt. [Mike] Debree got ahold of each child’s arm. Sgt. [Brian] Griffith tried to reason with the agitated and seemingly paranoid young woman, even showing her his badge to reassure her that he was a law enforcement officer, to no avail,” the department wrote.
The paranoid mother can be heard accusing officers of using fake badges and calling them “body avengers.” One officer then instructs someone to open up the window behind them.
Moments later, Debree manages to get the children out of their mother’s grip and to safety. Still on the ledge, Griffith holds onto the mother until he can get her back into the home.
“During that time, I had to hold her and she kept yelling she was going to jump to someone downstairs,” Griffith told WFOR.
The news station reported that the Florida mother was committed to a mental health facility under the state’s Baker Act and could face criminal charges.
Since the incident involves children and the mother’s mental health, police haven’t released their identities, according to the Palm Beach Post. However, the newspaper reported that the 23-year-old told police she was hallucinating because she had used Molly (MDMA), a powdered-form of ecstasy.
Meanwhile, the Department of Children and Families has custody of the two children as they conduct their investigation.
DBPD officers stepped into a precarious situation after multiple people called 911 to report that a woman and two children were on a roof. Officers arrived just after 4 p.m. Saturday, May 19 and quickly became aware of the frightening scenario they faced. A 23-year-old woman, acting erratically and refusing to listen to officers’ commands, was perched on a narrow ledge over the garage of a townhouse about 15-20-feet above the ground. A 1-year-old boy and 3-year-old girl stood with her. Officer Rob Addea immediately positioned himself under the window, ready to catch a child or the woman if necessary. He pleaded with her to get the children off the narrow, rain-soaked ledge. “Just get the kids back inside” Addea said. “Please. Please. That’s all we want you to do.” Officer Matt Warne joined him. At the same time, Sgt. Mike Debree and Sgt. Brian Griffith arrived, went in through the front door, up to the second floor, through a bedroom and out the window onto the ledge. Worried that the children would fall or be pushed, Sgt. Debree got ahold of each child’s arm. Sgt. Griffith tried to reason with the agitated and seemingly paranoid young woman, even showing her his badge to reassure her that he was a law enforcement officer, to no avail. Other DBPD officers were able to open the window of an adjoining townhouse, and Sgt. Debree walked the frightened children several feet along the ledge and handed them through the window to the waiting officers. Sgt. Griffith and several officers then lifted the woman through a window to safety. She was committed to a mental health facility under Florida’s Baker Act. She may face criminal charges once released. Florida’s Department of Children and Families is conducting an investigation and has taken custody of the children.
Posted by Delray Beach Police Department on Wednesday, May 23, 2018
[Featured image: Delray Beach Police Department]
