Public Security Police (PSP) agents were reported to the Public Ministry (MP) after attacking a 15-year-old autistic young man in Leiria during an approach. The boy, who is Brazilian, ran away from school and entered a house, and the resident called the PSP for invasion.
Hurt by the approach, images of aggression went viral on social media. According to his mother’s report, he is 80% disabled and cannot speak. Due to his autism, he is a “very curious” boy and can enter people’s homes out of curiosity, but not out of violence. “Didn’t six police officers see him, didn’t they identify his disability?”, asked the Brazilian.
The family has lived in Portugal for ten years, and the teenager studies at the school he ran away from since freshman year. The boy had to be taken to the hospital, where doctors noticed bruises on his face, neck and ankle, and he was identified as a victim of aggression.
The case is being monitored by Brazilian lawyer André Lima. The family filed a criminal complaint with the MP, and the case is under investigation. The objective is to determine responsibilities in relation to police action and the circumstances in which the minor suffered the injuries.
The family is also studying possible civil liability, since the victim has a profound disability and this circumstance requires care and protection from the authorities. There are videos that show the teenager immobilized by six agents.
PSP says he took off handcuffs when he found out about the condition
Questioned by DN Brazil, the Leiria PSP explained that, when the student’s teacher arrived at the scene and said what the situation was, the “PSP immediately removed the young man’s handcuffs and took him to school.”
The security force was called on suspicion of “assault”. According to the PSP, “upon arriving at the scene, the police found a 15-year-old young man already restrained and immobilized by two citizens, specifically the owner of the house and a neighbor, with no signs of aggression being identified against the suspect, in addition to small abrasions on his face resulting from the position in which he was immobilized.”
The police also highlight that the initial action was based on information that there had been a robbery in the house. “It is important to emphasize that, at the time of the initial intervention, the police were unaware of the young man’s age and clinical condition, and their action was determined exclusively by the context of an alleged crime in progress and the need to guarantee the safety of those involved. Only later was it possible to frame the situation in light of the information collected in the meantime.”
Read the full PSP note sent to the newspaper:
“Following your request for clarification regarding the incident recorded on March 20th, in the parish of Marrazes, in Leiria, I must provide the following information:
Civil Police were called to a residence on suspicion of a robbery in progress. Upon arriving at the scene, the police found a 15-year-old young man already restrained and immobilized by two citizens, specifically the owner of the house and a neighbor, with no signs of aggression being identified on the suspect, in addition to small abrasions on his face resulting from the position in which he was immobilized.
According to reports from those involved, the young man rang the doorbell of a residence and, after opening the door, pushed the owner, entering the house. Upon perceiving a robbery situation, the resident asked for help, and a neighbor rushed to the scene. The suspect also ended up entering the residence of this second participant, after another push, and was subsequently immobilized by both until the arrival of the PSP.
The young man was then handed over to the police, handcuffed and taken outside for purposes of identification and adoption of legal procedures, due to his non-cooperation. It is important to mention that, given the nature of the initial alert, several police personnel attended the scene, and no additional relevant intervention was necessary beyond supporting the suspect’s driving.
Meanwhile, at the scene, a citizen identified himself as the young man’s teacher, informing that he has autism spectrum disorder and that he does not communicate verbally. He also added that the student had absented himself from school moments before, taking advantage of a failure in the access gate, and efforts were already being taken to locate him.
Given this new information, the PSP immediately removed the young man’s handcuffs and took him to school. The mother was present at this location and was provided with all information, notably regarding the circumstances of the police intervention and the slight bruises observed. On the school’s initiative, the young man was later taken to the Leiria Hospital Center, monitored by the Leiria Volunteer Firefighters.
It is important to highlight that, at the time of the initial intervention, the police were unaware of the young man’s age and clinical condition, with the action being determined exclusively by the context of an alleged crime in progress and the need to guarantee the safety of those involved. Only afterwards was it possible to frame the situation in light of the information collected in the meantime.
As a standard procedure, clarifications were provided to the parties involved regarding the possibility of legal framing of the facts, notably under the Educational Guardianship Law”.
amanda.lima@dn.pt
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