Autistic Teen Left Traumatised After Police Forcefully Remove Her

[@capt.bart.roberts4975]

As a very verbal autistic man in his late sixties. Never bring the police into any situation, they will only make matters worse.

[@capt.bart.roberts4975]

And I like Thomas as well, and two quid seems a bargain!

[@UKSKIDS]

Fellow autistic guy here. 👋 happy new year people.

[@MLBFCollection]

​@AJ-qi5tm Yeah your comment became redundant as soon as you used the word "proud" Proud of serving in a systemically corrupt force that routinely violates domestic law are ya?

[@capt.bart.roberts4975]

Wild figures large in The Thruppenny Opera.

[@weeJinky]

​@@AJ-qi5tm ehh 🤔 naw they didnae! 😂

[@Optimegatrongodzilla]

*Never* call the police to handle an autist! In most places, police officers are not given training on how to handle autists! This *needs* to change! *All* emergency service personnel need to be given training on how to handle people who have autism, people who have bipolarism, people who have schizophrenia, people who have dementia, and people who have Alzheimer's!

[@Thepapergunman-c1s]

People are people

[@Thepapergunman-c1s]

That girl needs to learn that if the till is closed then it’s closed

[@Thepapergunman-c1s]

And she is overreacting saying she is traumatised 😂

[@Thepapergunman-c1s]

The fact that is is a teenager watching Tomas the tank engine

[@UnIimited_Power]

"Autist". No.

[@michaelfowell223]

If you don't have a child like this then you have no clue how demanding and stressful life is on a daily basis, lots of judgments and advice being offered from people who live in an entirely different world, who have never walked this path for even a second.

[@EvilEvilMonkey]

I was a child like this and am an adult like this and the large percentage of comments here are from those of us with autism and more. So yeah nah the cops were wrong to deal with it as they did.. But mother was the one to blame. No cops ever they are cops not social support, the shop keeper had closed till but could of given the kid a £2 dvd for cash or even as a gift it's £2 at Xmas but is again not his place to do so and would of just been nice. But rules are rules as a person with AUDHD our need to follow rules to the letter is pretty absolute. So maybe was mins before it was meant to close. But again all in all mum failed when she called cops because they wouldn't serve like full Karen moment... Cops failed when they removed her the way they did. But don't going making statements here as if none of us understand I live this life yeah I'm very over verbal vs their non verbal but that still doesn't change my understanding.

[@michaelfowell223]

@EvilEvilMonkey Hi there, I think you misunderstood my statement, I clearly stated that people who live this life have a clue/understand, also being none verbal is very different to being verbal, when you can't have a conversation with your child, ever! they can't express how they feel, describe their basic human wants and needs, their emotional state, it gets very demanding on the parent/paremts to read the situation and none of us are mind readers unfortunately. 😊

[@Dreadpirateflappy]

I have two autistic children and worked with many children with learning difficulties... the Mum handled this in the worst way possible.

[@michaelfowell223]

@@Dreadpirateflappy You are probably aware how awful it is to be spoken to abusively by people who just don't understand or even care then, from what I can gather the mother rang the Police because of the abuse she was receiving from the Staff, and asked for a community Police officer to attend to basically come and have a word, I don't think she expected the Police to be so heavy handed, no parent in their right mind would want to put their child through that, autistic or not.

[@freerangefool3121]

@@michaelfowell223 Does the mother understand "The shop is closed. Please leave"?

[@helenaskew4851]

I'm autistic and I feel for Katie. Don't use the police. We need to teach everyone about autism. More education. Thank you Carrie Grant.

[@Siouxsi-Sioux]

It's not the publics responsibility to learn about every mental condition everyone has and deal with it. It's the family's responsibility to care for them. Clearly not going to happen.

[@amandawilson7412]

@@Siouxsi-Siouxagree

[@stacydraper1001]

Absolutely 💯🙏❤️

[@Luke25437]

as a person that has signs of autistic but for now on the spectrum I agree and disagree it’s not there responsibility though to learn about every one

[@LiamTate-b1v]

​@@Luke25437maybe not but should be

[@BreakBeatPaul]

The police had already made a statement about this saying, ‘they were called at 6.15 to assist the situation. The girl had walked into the shop when it was closed and they were in the process of closing the shutters, the police tried to talk her into leaving the shop for 20mins until the police assisted a family member physically remove her from the shop and to the family’s car and one police officer was injured’ - shortened version of the statement Sounds like a lot of details have not been included in this interview.

[@BritCub]

Thank u it’s nice to see someone explain the whole story yet again the media only showing the story they want to tell as I’ve said this whole thing was the parent’s fault and clearly lack of control the police had to step in defuse this situation and now there the bad guy for doing there job 😅

[@CMc-v7z]

Surely there were other places to buy DVDs, Asda etc?

[@MarjorieDuncan-lk7lz]

Well said, the sister is now saying the poor vulnerable girl was young teenager while her mental capacity was toddler, but earlier interview said she was 19 yrs old, think the shop staff tried their best & should not be expected to stay hour after shop closed Christmas Eve, it's the mother who knows her daughter best & should be best at dealing with situation

[@RabJ208]

Exactly! I bet the mother kicked up a big fuss leading to the her daughter becoming more upset. The police handled it very well. The mother stripped her daughter of her dignity by releasing this footage for the world to watch. Terrible parenting.

[@jamiemartin7649]

@@CMc-v7zphysical media like DVDs and blu rays aren’t sold in retail shops as much as they once were. Cex and HMV are really the only retail shops I know off in the UK that do that stuff. Supermarkets like Asda etc don’t have much if not any of that kinda stuff anymore. With the exception of vinyl records because those are trendy again nowadays.

[@jayc9075]

Mum should never have called police, there is no situation a copper can't make worse

[@MediaCentUK]

I'm autistic and this is absolutely shocking! We need a better police force who can understand autism so much!!!! Feel so sorry for this poor girl!

[@TheDanzomanzo]

Well hold on just a moment, because it seems to me the mother called the police expecting them to understand the issue better. It is the onus of every parent to be their child's best possible therapist, period. Her mother needs to take the time and make the effort to understand autism better, the police aren't going to be available for every possible situation out there.

[@princessmewtwo]

Agreed. As a fellow autistic, I am freaking appalled.

[@auouraschannel5230]

I'm autistic and ADHD. Having read the other part of the story, I think this was inevitable. They spoke to her for over 20 minutes to try and get her to leave. The mother should have instructed the police in what they should have done. But the mother called the police in the first place. Why didn't the mother use the gentle language if it worked so well?

[@hystaric_3013]

This has nothing to do with not understanding autism, they just don't care.

[@auouraschannel5230]

@hystaric_3013 I think chatting to the girl for 20 minutes showed they cared. They were left with no other option and it's clear the mother did nothing to instruct the police. Her kid. Her responsibility. Aparebtly this family has been in the news before. I wonder if this was a stunt

[@T4TipsGuides]

The mother, with all of her experience, could not control the situation. What chance would a stranger have.

[@IndigoNeutrino]

Why exactly were the police called? The shop was shut. It’s the mum’s job to explain they need to go back another day, the same way she’d explain it to a toddler who was struggling to understand. What exactly did she want the police to do? Force the shop to sell the DVD to them?

[@charlottevicarage1331]

Exactly this.

[@bossatronking3426]

If you had listened the shop assistants where abusive to the mother.

[@patmustard1511]

@@charlottevicarage1331 You clearly don't understand how businesses operate, once tills are shut that them closed off for the day and the money totalled into the excel sheets, sheets which will have to be audited by the government. If anyone's to blame its the mother for thinking it was a good idea to bring a autistic child into a store when its closing down, not exactly the most inspired logic.

[@Prayforlamichelleflawless]

I'm gonna get that shop shut down

[@RabJ208]

@bossatronking3426 , no, they weren't. The mother was absolutely irate and angry. Clearly, the mother was the aggressor here with all of the shouting and video recording at the same time. She can definitely multitask - I'll give her that.

[@bossatronking3426]

I have 2 "high functioning" teenage sons and are NOT surprised by the "heavy handed" approach of the "law".

[@user-jx1bl5jf2p]

The woman with red hair is right but shes wrong when she says it could take an extra 10 mins, it can be more like an hour with someone whos non verbal. Be realistic. The mother didnt plan for her own daughters needs and entered that shop near closing time, so she is responsible for this happening.

[@Darkraidalek]

Yeah it's the mothers job to control the child

[@chrispreece2874]

People need to stop calling the police and wasting their time with this kind of thing. Police arrest criminals that's their job. Not babysitting!!

[@theresahayes4294]

Go Educate Yourself..

[@UltraGreenNo.57]

​@theresahayes4294 The mother has a role in parenting as well. It could have descalated with the help of a known guardian.

[@leilaevans2564]

I'm sorry (just my opinion and I also have an autistic child) but if the tills are closed you can't expect to ask for the item and come back the next day to pay for it. That just opens up the flood gates for all sorts. I feel sorry for the girl. The police shouldn't have treated her like that but the mum should have never rang the police. It's her job to manage her child.

[@whereloveblossoms]

THe mother didn't ring the Police for her daughter she rang for police assistance because the Ship Staff were rude & swearing at the Mother even though the mother was trying to explain her daughters Comolex needs.. The mother wanted the police to calm & deescalqte the engsgement with the Shop Staff!! But typical the police targeted Katie the most Vulnerable instead or Educating the Store Staff & encooursging them to calm down!

[@alisonmcneilly2711]

@whereloveblossoms wise up there is no evidence bar that the staff was rude and aggressive. Let's stick to the facts that are known not the lies the sister who wasn't there is pushing

[@whereloveblossoms]

@@alisonmcneilly2711 What Lies Exactly!! I think the Facts where shared openly & the footage with the police cannot be Disputed & its illegal for an Autistic person to be Physically restrained eapecially when its related to a Melt Down Episode!

[@fern1416]

The sister videod it

[@alisonmcneilly2711]

@fern1416 no she didn't that was the mum. The sister posted on social media tho. The sister wasn't even there when it happened. This family are trouble makers been in the media before

[@EdelweisSusie]

So if both the Mum AND sister were present, why didn’t they deal with Katie and explain the tills had closed? Why assume the police can do what they can’t? Very odd.

[@ShaneDale-e3j]

Because they were trying to rush her. It’s not so simple as just she will understand

[@Phillip-p1e]

As soon as the staff said tills are closed , all there should have left and gone back the next day....

[@RabJ208]

Exactly 💯

[@alisonmcneilly2711]

Because the sister wasn't there

[@ninaleach6350]

I'm an elderly autistic and I'm also physically disabled, in a wheelchair, so I probably would have been treated better. I wear a Hidden Disabilities Lanyard with cards explaining my difficulties because most shops are aware of the scheme and most have treated me well on the occasions I have needed help. We shouldn't have to wear them though and some autistics can't wear them due to sensory difficulties. The staff and the police were informed of Katie's difficulties but they didn't respond in the correct way. If someone hasn't got the intellectual ability to understand something then they aren't doing anything wrong. She should have been treated with respect and compassion. Surely the solution was to either reopen a till or just let her have the DVD, to avoid all the unnecessary upset. If anyone doesn't understand this then they need to be better informed on disability law and certainly on autism.

[@sammansfield21]

To be fair, the shop was closed. Mum should have dealt with it and not called the police.

[@NinjaTenK]

Agreed and the mom at fault for not being able to control her when she gets upset

[@EdelePalmer]

If shop was closed they should of had the doors locked as well you don't take all the tills off while the door was open never mind cashing up for the day your putting all your staff at risk doing this while door was open that means shop was still open and at least one till would off been open still no shop cashes up the day while doors are open

[@EdelePalmer]

If the shop was closed they wouldn't of been able to go in the shop to see or buy the dvd if the tills were off then the doors would off been shut and lock this wasent any off the family fault

[@sammansfield21]

@EdelePalmer I used to work retail, and a lot of the time, this is the case. Only the supervisor is caught up with something, the other staff will close the shop down as much as possible.

[@EdelePalmer]

@sammansfield21 yes but door would off been locked while doing this if that was done this wouldn't off happened, we got 3 tills 2 are off hr before shop is closed and banking done as all till lifts would off been done as well then shop door locked when closing time arrives and cashing up gets done and shut down on the tills all am saying is shop closed door locked no customers would off been in shop am disgusted in how this turned out more so for a special needs person.

[@hannahbaxter8825]

Why did they call the police? What did they think would happen? If her own family can't convince her to leave peacefully then how are the police supposed to? They weren't beating her up or shouting for what I could see they were carrying her out. And yes I have an autistic daughter so I do know what I'm talking about. Some people just want special treatment and those people like hanging around in shops after their closing time.

[@Beano1986]

@@hannahbaxter8825 they clearly thought the police would side with them… apparently they talked to the family for 20 minutes before removing them so it’s not like they went in heavy handed

[@anartteacher5788]

This whole story is insane. We didn't know how to control her so we thought people who don't know her will handle it better. Really? Looking for a law suit.

[@RabJ208]

@anartteacher5788 , insane isn't it, and the mother was throwing 'fuel on the fire' with all of the shoulding and video recording at the same time. Talk about multitasking. Eh.

[@Chicken-x6q6d]

"know what you are talking about" No, you don't.

[@RabJ208]

@@Chicken-x6q6d, do you not feel sorry for the girl? The mother recorded her having a panic attack, and now it's on social media. That girl has to go to school, and we know kids can be very cruel. The mother is to blame for all of this.

[@RabJ208]

The shop were well within their rights to refuse the sale as the tills were closed. The mother should have taken charge of the situation without kicking up fuss (and I bet she did when the shopkeeper told her they couldn't serve her daughter) by escalating the situation and shouting at staff. The mum is 100% at fault. The mother should never have humiliated her daughter by filming the event. Terrible parenting.

[@MayaLarsen-y3r]

I am Autistic and I can see your point but on the other hand I understand that having a child with or whithout a condition is hard.

[@Beano1986]

@@MayaLarsen-y3r yes but she has had 19 years of experience and training… the staff had none… she was in a better position than the staff to deal with it but instead called the police…. Which undoubtedly was always going to make the situation worse

[@Jsmall910]

I agree it is terrible for the poor child,I mean if she doesn't understand anything,non verbal do they just let her do/get away with everything I know this was only a £2 DVD but what if it was something a lot more expensive ie picked it up and wouldn't let it go what happens then.There must be a way her mum deals with things when they happen.

[@FeralDucky]

Now you're getting it. Mom could've EASILY just said 'they are closed we're leaving' and in all likelihood she would've gone. BUT I would 100% bet mom called the police hoping theyd go at the STAFF

[@mortdewerewolfe691]

A bit of time, patience and common sense on the part of the shop workers wouldn't have gone a miss here.

[@SFRZRD]

I am pretty autistic, I have a bit of a habit of scrunching up my nose and blinking my eyes tight every so often, a ‘tic’ I guess you could call it, I’m also mostly deaf. I’ll never forget once I was buying some perfume in John Lewis and the security followed me, and then called others to surround me, claiming I was acting suspiciously by my eye blinking, and as it was during covid, I couldn’t read any of their mouths as they all had masks on so they claimed that was also me acting bizzarely even though I tried to explain. In the end I was taken to a back room, searched intensely and kept there for 1 hour until Westfield security called the police in the end, it was so unpleasant I cried (even as a 27 year old man). Thankfully the police were appalled and let me go immediately. Even more ironic is I left for Brazil a few years ago - and somehow I’ve found this ‘3rd world’ country more accommodating of my deafness and autism and I’ve aftually found shoo security etc here to be much more approachable and kind. How the world is turning.

[@emsiec]

@SFRZRD- I am so sorry to hear about what happened to you in John Lewis, the guards should have listened to you when you said to them that you were autistic and had a tic where you blink your eyes a lot. I know a lot of people with autism who also have similar blinking tic and have been misunderstood because of it. I am so glad though, that you are being treated better in Spain. Happy New Year to you 😊😊

[@manicmaggie]

My son is also autistic. The public in general treat people like you appallingly.

[@alexandercruisey2880]

You didn't deserve that treatment

[@carrotfreak1]

I’m sorry that happened to you. I’m also autistic and have a lot of trouble with ticks. I’ve lost count how many times I’ve been followed and watched in shops over the years. Whatever if they want to watch me, as I understand they have a job to do. One thing I don’t understand is why don’t they just watch people through the store cameras rather than following them around and making them uncomfortable? If they watched me through the cameras instead, they would realise overtime that it’s just my body language and that I am not up to no good.

[@andrewpotato6002]

CEX employees are paid minimum wage and get in big trouble for deviating from policy in the company handbook. I am not surprised they would not take payment after the tills had been shut down. They could lose their job over a £2 dvd

[@JackieBangs]

But why didn’t the shop assistants think outside the box and take payment for it next day or put the small amount of cash next to the till for the following morning. I hope the publicity this has brought will bring more awareness to these situations and help prevent future occurrences wherever they occur.

[@andrewpotato6002]

@JackieBangs actions like that are exactly what I am referring to. They would face disciplinary measures for doing even a £2 sale like this. The policy is supposedly there to prevent employee theft.

[@simonseymour3099]

Then Cex will need to look again at there hand book and learn understanding as for the Police it's run by are friendly UK Government who don't care about anyone Sister has cancer they don't care adout that they will continue to not care just like Pens ionser they don't care about them and UK Government should be taxing higher earners like Footballers

[@ruthhadfield9726]

@JackieBangs because can you imagine explaining that to the manager, oh yea I let these people take the DVD but don't worry they are going to pay for it today. They promised. one way to lose their jobs. why did mum take her daughter into a shop during the shops closing when she knew her daughters needs. there is no excuse for this force though

[@RabJ208]

And I bet the mother kicked up a big fuss. The mother should have taken her daughter by the hand and calmly walked out of the store.

[@TyrantNemesisUmbrella]

This country gets worse and worse seriously

[@sarahharris2729]

Mum made a mistake, the police aren't social workers and this was NOT the help to call. Mum should know. Im sorry for everyone involved.

[@finnmckeown7825]

Having autism myself I place the blame squarely on the mother, out of the two of them she would’ve clearly seen the shop was closed/in the process of closing (shutters halfway down, tills turned off) she could’ve talked to her daughter and said “we’ll come for it tomorrow” or something along those lines or asked for it to be reserved. As for the police’s handling of the situation I don’t see anything wrong, we don’t know what happened before the video was taken, for all we know the daughter could’ve been shouting and screaming and being violent out of frustration, in those instances the police handled it perfectly. IMO

[@JaimieRain]

Mum: "No, c'mon love they're closed, we'll come back tomorrow and get it. Its a 2 pound Thomas the Tank Engine DVD at Cex, it's not gonna be gone tomorrow" Instead she's all: "I'm gonna call the police, film this and make this is national news and humiliate my daughter even more!"

[@mmmizery]

They literally would have reserved it under the desk until tomorrow if asked, they do it all the time just slap a sticker saying reserved on it no till needed

[@SensesASMRist]

She has severe autism, these kids and adults don’t understand the concept of time. They don’t understand ‘tomorrow’, ‘later’ or ‘another time’. They only understand now. She wanted the DVD right now, that’s why she had a melt down. When you take your autistic kids out in public, you live in fight and flight mode because they are unpredictable in an unpredictable environment. I know this because I have a loved ones with autism.

[@adinajamison2629]

Not that particular store, the staff are, well, not very helpful! If that girl told me to get a lead to remove my child from the store, id have had the police called on me.​@mmmizery

[@auouraschannel5230]

​@SensesASMRist I knew a kid with autism, heck I have autism and adhd myself. I watched this kid who had so much potential get worse and worse. His mother never corrected him on his behaviour. Not even once, unless it was directed at her. Anything wrong he did, she would blame on his eldest brother. This kid learnt to use autism as an excuse for doing some really horrible things. I know he could have been better then that, when I corrected him on things he would listen. He would even calm down if he was having a meltdown. Where as his mother would play into it and his meltdowns would get worse. When she found out I have adhd she started to treat me in the same way she treated her son. I hate it. The pity eyes... ugh. And I knew that she made him feel worse about his autism. She didn't try to treat him like a normal kid. Just treated him like he was nothing but his diagnosis. Sadly alot of parents fall under that trap and it does nothing for their mental health. Or their self esteem.

[@cobrakaier238]

​@@auouraschannel5230 you have no idea what their situation is. You can't judge by a kid you've known. You don't know what they have been through.

[@tia.p]

Personally i dont think the police should have been called - they were probably not going to be able to do anything helpful in this situation because at the end of the day, CEX have to follow company policy and they would not be able to sell a DVD without payment as the workers would be at risk of losing their jobs. I think this was on the mother or the sister to explain to katie that they would have to come back tommorow for it

[@humbugmixer]

Something isn't right here. The shop would not turn the tills off until the shop was empty. Customer is not always right

[@judithmorganjudyteen]

Why did they need to manhandle her like that ? Disgraceful

[@adzm1987]

Psni,it what they do

[@philipjohnkaye8890]

Because they are bullies.

[@lawrencehaynes6408]

Or because she wouldn't leave 😂😂

[@MarjorieDuncan-lk7lz]

The mother, the sister & the staff had all tried to get the poor vulnerable girl out of the shop, the "autism expert" said ask the parents, but it was the mother who couldn't & didn't help but seem to be blaming everyone else

[@MarjorieDuncan-lk7lz]

@@adzm1987 the mother & the sister couldn't & didn't get poor girl to leave, the staff also tried, feel sorry for poor vulnerable girl, but her mother the one who knows her best couldn't deal with situation & didn't stop her being lifted out of shop, now they're blaming everyone but themselves, the shop staff would have tried their best, with hindsight the mother or sister should have paid or wrote iou etc

[@Moonlight-sonata-t9r]

People should be trained in mental health and autism Autism isn't mental health its a Nero developmental condition My son has asd he is on the autistic spectrum I'm also a trained teaching assistant in special needs These children and teenagers need patience and compassion and not people judging them or their families The reason they lash out is for the fact they don't know how else to deal with their emotions in that situation

[@lollybooth7008]

What people?

[@SleepyPsyker]

Can guarantee you, even in a mental health hospital full of trained doctors, nurses and staff, if an autistic teenager was refusing to leave an area and throwing a tantrum it would have ended the exact same way and as soon as they injured one of them like this girl did, she would be getting sedated and put in lock down. Sometimes there is no other way. This was one of those times. She came in while the store was closing, literally walked under the shutters, took at least 30-40mins before she was removed by not just police but also her family member as seen in video. This interview is scummy as it's making them seem like angels when in fact they are awful people.

[@williamdoyle1108]

A series of failures by all involved, shop should have been completely closed once tills are off. The mother of the girl should not have called the police making the situation more volatile and overwhelming for the autistic girl. The police should not have removed her from the shop they way they did. As I say a series of failures from all involved.

[@Dragonpotion123]

My cousins have autism. It's different for every case. If it was my cousin who had a melt down in a shop then he need to be carried out by his dad. No one would be called, family members would deal with it. It's not always a case of gettng down on ther level and having a 10 minute chat.

[@freddie488]

Isn't the girl 19 years old? When is that a 'young' teenager? That family need some extra help to assist Katie in living her life. They're not doing her any good.

[@kylefox666]

I’m autistic, but at the same time, rules are rules, if shop and tills are closed, that’s policy. Some people and parents need to stop using the autism card to get their way. At the same time, the police shouldn’t have been involved.

[@marypoppins7]

Rules are rules, in the good old days customer was always right. I worked years in stores and this would never happen, bad publicity and we would always wait for the customer. Shops need the money no matter how much. This was bad business and bad publicity for them

[@Dreadpirateflappy]

@@marypoppins7 The shop did nothing wrong. It was closed. the Mother is to blame here for handling it poorly.

[@FeralDucky]

THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS

[@Cats1357911]

I appreciate your autistic but every autistic person is different. This person is non verbal and probably has little understanding of complex norms. I do think retail staff should have training for this and the police as well

[@mortdewerewolfe691]

There's this thing called being reasonable. if I were the shop asst. I'd have paid for it myself put it through next day & if managers started breathing down my neck shown them the footage. I would NEVER have called pigs to deal with it.

[@James-pe9gi]

Only shown a small snippet? where's the full video of the incident? That man that was holding the child's head up is a relative yet no one is questioning that. Clearly more to the story here. And this woman expected staff to give her child the dvd and run it through the tills. The following day when that doesn't work like that in retail. Which can result in someone losing their job. Would like to see cex release the CCTV footage of the actual incident and I'm sure we'll see a different side of the story that this woman isn't showing.

[@zafkhan4267]

The way GMB bullied MP Zara on this show out of pure racism now trying to take the moral high ground on other issues is laughable.

[@judithmorganjudyteen]

Did they use racist slurs or just disagree with her. Would expect an arrest if the former

[@anomx1116]

As for 'Zara' (see you did your research), ZARAH SULTANA, I think maybe GMB were a little more aggressive, because they way she came across like some Karen-woke-student talking down to the presenters. She had a rife attitude. Whatever she was discussing I think I would have been the same. When she was calmly asked to give an example of the Daily Mail being Islamophobic, she started really kicking off almost shouting at the editor. She could have responded calmly to him, but then got brutal straight away with him. she's a horrible person. She attacked everyone she could and was dictating how they should act but just her ideology alone.

[@itzkingcringe]

These people don’t understand it’s not the minimum wage workers’ responsibility to go out of their way to deal with this once it’s closed, especially not “offer their own £2”. They didn’t seem to escalate it at all and shouldnt have to be able to deal with every situation like this- they aren’t teachers or something and I’m sure they had sympathy but couldn’t do anything about it. Her mother is the one who failed her when she escalated it and phoned the police who also handled it poorly. I just feel bad for the girl and the workers who are being demonised.

[@c.t5136]

They could have taken the £2 and and put it through the till next day. No drama there. All on CCTV so no accusations. Lack of thought and lack of care.

[@MarjorieDuncan-lk7lz]

Well said, the staff, the mother & the sister could not make the vulnerable girl leave the shop, family blaming everyone except themselves, blamed the staff, the police they are to blame themselves not others

[@itzkingcringe]

@@c.t5136 why should they have to risk their employment over this?

[@hannahbaxter8825]

Exactly and they couldn't put it through the till and moving away from procedure could have got them sacked.

[@liamvibes24]

@@itzkingcringeseriously? Why did the insult the mother?

[@jisoo1571]

A lot of details missing from this report, why not mention that the shutters were closing as she came in, so the store was obviously closed? Which probably caused the bulk of the problem? Or even the fact that it was a Sunday, therefore illegal to take payment after certain hours?

[@ultimatemagic2125]

Why did her mum call the police ffs?! I have an autistic son, I wouldn't call the police to deal with this situation, I'd tell my son we have to come back in tomorrow. The mum surely has some blame here involving the police rather than dealing with her own daughter...

[@RabJ208]

Exactly! The police did a great job. What else could the police have done in that situation? The mother was probably hurling abuse at the staff for not serving their daughter, leading to the daugher becoming more and more upset. The police weren't voilent, and carried the girl out with dignity. The mother voilated her daughters dignity by letting this mess go online for the world to see. Disgraceful parenting.

[@MayaLarsen-y3r]

I know right.

[@ninaleach6350]

I'm autistic but I'm not the same as your son or Katie. I'm a 73 yo grandmother and occasionally have a meltdown when overwhelmed...... it's a perfectly natural physiological reaction by our nervous system and difficult to deal with but at my age, with my experience, I can usually stop it before it starts or my family members know how to help me come out of it....... it's not about bad behaviour or anger. It's a neurobiological condition like epilepsy and just needs time for the episode to end. Obviously because they wouldn't let her have the DVD, she couldn't understand why and was distraught. It's so distressing to read all the ableism and lack of understanding and compassion in the comments, especially from people who really should understand much better 😢

[@RabJ208]

@ninaleach6350 , I think the majority of the comments are compassionate. No one likes the fact that this event occurred. But someone is to blame, and it isn't the Police. I think the general consensus here is that of sympathy for the daugher and blame towards the mother for escalating the situation unnecessarily.

[@liamvibes24]

Sounds like you know how to handle every challenging situation presented by children with complex needs. We should bottle your wisdom and share it with all the families who have autistic children. 🙄 Blaming the parent is cruel. The shop assistants showed no compassion no understanding and nor did the police. But we now know if you were there everything would have been fine.

[@piltson]

Why would they take her in a shop that was about to close?? She probably had no intention of leaving without that video due to her autism and lack of understanding that a shop closes and was quite possibly being violent and spitting, biting etc. No choice but to remove her. This is a restraint and removal which happens daily …. It may not look pretty but it’s nessesary in some circumstances. Why couldn’t the parents have dealt with her?? Surely they are used to it? Just an excuse to bash the police again and more entitled behaviour. Parents shouldn’t have taken her in so close to closing.

[@BP-of5cp]

All shops put a staff member at the door and don't let new customers in at closing. All customers already in the shop finish up, pay and everyone leaves. You don't let people in and then tell them the shop is closed when they get to the till. Autistic or not autistic. Secondly, shops are having to deal with shoplifters stealing expensive items and there's never a police officer in sight to drag them out by their arms and feet. I have the greatest respect for the police but on this occasion they messed up. Clearly the staff wanted to go home early. If they let her pay and leave they would have closed much quicker than calling the police on an autistic girl.

[@EdelweisSusie]

Exactly - who knows how to deal with the child better than her own mother?? Courting publicity.

[@Age-Rebel]

I agree. Extreme entitlement and Carrie saying they should have offered to pay for it. And she went in when shutters were down and the police spent 20 mins trying to talk to her.

[@RabJ208]

@@piltson spot on !

[@RabJ208]

@BP-of5cp , you're talking nonsense. In my younger years, I worked in a shop, and 15 minutes before closing , we'd let the final few customers in and informed them that the shop would be closing in 15 minutes. Not all customers pay attention and shop on anyway.

[@BeccaAl]

My adult younger brother has autism and other health issues which mean he is also non verbal. I’m so sorry your sister was treated so badly and the shop staff couldn’t show a bit more caring and understanding to someone who was excited and confused esp this time of year. The Police are so heavy handed. I would suggest anyone faced with someone who is having a meltdown calls the paramedics instead of Police. It’s not a crime to have autism or even a meltdown, it’s part of their neurological health condition. At least the paramedics have some training in this area.

[@gaynor7947]

💯

[@notyourordinarygran]

Yes. Call paramedics instead. Police Officers are not trained to deal with this. The staff could have let her have the DVD, put the £2 in the safe and rung it up in the morning.

[@MarjorieDuncan-lk7lz]

The mother & sister who know her daughter & sister best, couldn't deal with situation, the shop staff tried for 20 minutes after closing time on Christmas Eve to deal with situation it's unfair expecting them to stay hours late & to blame them or police, the mother & sister were there it should have been them taking responsibility not blaming shop staff & the police.

[@BeccaAl]

@@MarjorieDuncan-lk7lz I’ll have to take your word for it as that wasn’t what was laid out in the interview. Although I’m sure it took time from others, on an important day, who were caught up in the situation. unfortunately it has lead to this young disabled woman to feel scared and hurt. That’s not the end result anyone intended. My suggestion would be to call the paramedics instead if anyone finds themself in a similar situation, not vilify anyone. These things still do happen, unfortunately.

[@gaynor7947]

@MarjorieDuncan-lk7lz the shop staff should have given the DVD to the child. It would have been over in a minute. As soon as the child's behaviour changed. Everyone is happy 🤦‍♀️🤷

[@n.o.5976]

Commenting from America, you all have it so much better than us. This story ends with gunshots here and a police officer getting suspended with pay but no ramifications. A. C. A. B.

[@blairtaggart5243]

As a father of non verbal autistic daughter this country has a lot to learn about autism and disability in general

[@BevTomlinson]

If the mother of the child wasn’t able to take control of her own child who would be especially trained to deal with situations what occurred, and calling the police !!! They failed to mention why police were called?,and as for saying oh give it her or the shop assistant to pay, no no no sorry shop assistants are there to provide a service not pay for goods, and as for having training for this type of situation no we have to draw a line shop assistants deal with so many folks different personalities,and to monitor their behaviour towards them on a daily basis, if again the mother could not handle situation or police, why do you think a shop assistant should?

[@Kellyr555]

Did they ignore mum telling them she's autistic?

[@lawrencehaynes6408]

What difference does that make, autism isn't an automatic "get what I want" card. They were closed, this is 100% the mother's fault.

[@amandawilson7412]

@@lawrencehaynes6408oh yes I’m glad you said that

[@SleepyPsyker]

Who cares? Doesn't give them a free pass to do anything they want. Everyone has to abide by the rules and laws in society or keep away from society.

[@Kellyr555]

@@SleepyPsyker I'm referring to how they could have treated her, we dont know how severe she is or full circumstances.

[@mortdewerewolfe691]

@Kellyr555 yes. That's what they're paid to do.

[@janetta98]

Why would police have been called? Why would they then carry out a vulnerable human like a sack of potatoes? Very confusing.

[@LordWalsallian]

The Tills were closed, the store was closing when they entered the store. So, the staff are meant to put their jobs at risk because a parent allowed this to happen? It's not as simple as "it's just £2". Police are there to preserve safety, not mollycoddle your child in a situation you created in the first place. The shop staff didn't deserve this, the Police (who you called) didn't deserve this and most of all your daughter didn't deserve to be filmed and then splayed over Social Media for your 5 mins of fame.

[@mariannew284]

my 3 year old is autistic and if he has a meltdown you need to sit on the floor with him and just sit with him hold him. go at their pace x

[@Scottish-Danny]

Its so true. I have autism & if I experience something traumatic i wont go back at all.

[@CricketGirrl]

I'm the same way. It's hard when so much is traumatic for us!

[@Scottish-Danny]

@CricketGirrl so true. I had a bad experience at the Asda near my home & haven't been back since 2018.

[@Phillip-p1e]

It was the end of the day, the tills at CEX do close at a certain time and if the staff deviate from this they can be disciplined and may even lose their jobs , they are hard working, knowledgeable, professional and people friendly and earn minimum wage, it wasn't their fault. The mother should have explained this to her daughter and gone back the next day , she could have calmed her daughter down and not called the police....

[@MAGICALWOLVESSs]

I agree with that she can calm her down and not called the police. Maybe she doesn’t know how to handle her autism and she has seen her daughter hurt innocent people maybe that’s why she called the police.

[@muzeezhodillo8613]

Oh my GOD!! She doesn't have autism. She just reacted in the most honest way that we ALL want to react to people that will continue make a problem where there is NONE.

[@reckersworld9351]

It's the mothers fault. Take the property and pay later or have a cashier pay for it? I would have said no too. Sounds to me it's more like the mum wanted it to happen.

[@EdelweisSusie]

Exactly! First thing I thought. Who knows how to handle her child better - she wanted the publicity.

[@RabJ208]

@@reckersworld9351 correct!

[@patmustard1511]

I can't believe people would go out of their way to gain publicity and hopefully some compensation.

[@elisa7881]

This is a sad story but if the mum can't control/deal with her daughter how does one ever think that police could help? "Ask the parents"...The parent called police!

[@sarahbee1425]

Absolute shame on katies mother, autism doesnt mean you cannot teach your child accountability. Store was closed, no means no. Katies mum and sister could have explained this to her but no they cause a big drama over a DVD. Shame on katies family

[@whereloveblossoms]

You have total no awareness if what the realived exoerience is like for Vulnerbale young adults like Katie & her family! How dare you try to put Shame onto the Family! Instead of onto the Incomptent Staff at CEX & the Incomeptent Police Officers!! There is Tons if Info and awareness about Autism yet some members of Police seem to get a thrill out of escalating situations with the most Vulnerable!!

[@ninaleach6350]

Katie is non speaking, with learning difficulties and the intellectual ability of a toddler. She couldn't understand why the shop wouldn't let her buy her DVD. She got upset, overwhelmed and had a meltdown. When someone is having a meltdown, they need time. You wouldn't expect an epileptic to stop having a fit would you? They're both neurobiological conditions. Her mum tried to de-escalate the situation but the shop wouldn't listen, so she called the police in desperation and in the knowledge that they're supposed to be trained on how to treat autistics. This is about the fact that people don't understand autism or any disabilities properly 😢

[@fay-amieaspen6046]

You're someone who doesn't understand.

[@whereloveblossoms]

@@fay-amieaspen6046 Clearly Not!

[@whereloveblossoms]

@ninaleach6350 100%

[@oliviajayward]

or MAYBE be clear with her. I’m autistic and I need people to speak to me clearly with what they mean. ALSO, why tf hasn’t her mother told her in the first place that the shop is shut? her mother communicating clearly to her would have solved the problem. It just shows how some parents and the police see non-verbal autistics not worthy to have a voice or are capable of understanding things.

[@simonerutterford5556]

The parent was the only one who could deescalate this situation. I have no idea what she thought she was doing calling the police. They are there for a breach of the peace. Sounds like someone trying to get attention to me. My daughter is autistic. There's no need to involve the police. They are not trained to deal with this. So saying I do not agree with their handling of it. I'm sure there were better options than dragging a child out of the shop.

[@claireengland897]

the sister said the staff were abusive, i wonder if the mum wanted the police to help deal with the staff so she could deal with the daughter.

[@shanghaichica]

@@claireengland897she probably wanted the police to tell the staff they had to sell/give the DVD to them.

[@emmal3028]

Yeah you can't go in a shop and expect them to pay for your product? Sorry have we all lost our minds?

[@EdelweisSusie]

Well said. The mother was right there - why didn’t she deal with her child??

[@Ruth-wq7lr]

Why should the shop staff (who are on minimum wage and no doubt worn out in the run up to Christmas) be obliged to pay for the DVD themselves? It was also irresponsible of the family to go into the shop so late that the tills were actually closed. Them then calling the police for assistance just added fuel to the fire.

[@WarV9]

You don't understand how some severely autistic people are. They don't understand logic like the rest of us do, explaining to her that the shop is closed might not work. I think people need to use their discretion in these situations, not just blindly follow rules like the closing time. I know it's possible, I've worked in retail and tills don't just magically go offline at closing.

[@EdelweisSusie]

Exactly - they were courting publicity. If the mother’s present why couldn’t she deal with her own daughter? Very odd to call the Police.

[@Ruth-wq7lr]

@@WarV9I understand perfectly, and the family could and should have predicted that taking Katie into a shop at closing time and her not being able to buy what she wants is very likely to lead to a meltdown. The mother and sister should also surely have 19 years of experience of how to comfort and support her. Instead they escalated the situation by calling the police. They at all stages in this sorry situation did not make the right choices.

[@Age-Rebel]

Their entitlement is outstanding.

[@isthatng6051]

Yeah call the police over a DVD. When a shops shut, it’s shut. When CEX tills are closed, it’s closed. Just come back tomorrow. No fuss.

[@IAt0m1xI]

For one the shop was closed as the shift was finished, they should've gone the next day Second the police I assume told her that the shop is closed, come back the next day. Sure she is disabled but come on she took video of the incident and made the police look bad. I agree with the police. The world does not revolve around you, stop complaining and go the another shop pr have patience.

[@ninaleach6350]

The shop wasn't closed or else she wouldn't have been able to get in. She doesn't have the intellectual ability to understand the situation and was trying to deal with her autistic overwhelm and a meltdown. She wasn't doing anything wrong in trying to buy the DVD. She must have been so scared. She didn't take the video of herself, her mother did. She can't speak or communicate with others, so her mother was trying to communicate for her but sadly the shop staff and police made matters worse.

[@jisoo1571]

@@ninaleach6350 the shop was closed, the shutters were closing as they came in (you can see the shutters on the video as well). if the teen doesn’t understand the tills are closed, she likely didn’t understand what the shutters meant either, but with two people there to look after her somebody should’ve stepped in then. staff already kept after hours, being told to break Sunday trading laws are not going to be the most understanding people in the world. why would they? they aren’t even being paid in that situation, they’re just being kept until the mother got their way, when she could’ve avoided the situation very easily.

[@paulgirling9927]

She should have been monitored more closely by the family when entering the shop. No sympathy towards the family whatsoever

[@Age-Rebel]

Extremely entitled family.

[@amandawilson7412]

Nor me

[@LucyLlewellyn-z9m]

You have no clue about autism

[@cocoaorange1]

If they don't know she is autistic, the family as to explain.

[@marie.naturallysims2179]

I call that bad and lazy parenting. You have an upset autistic child and instead of dealing with the problem yourself, finding a solution, you decide to call the police on your daughter, traumatising her even more.

[@albagizal1046]

Yeah I am completely on the girl's side here, meltdowns are traumatising to experience even without the additional terror of being carried out, but I don't understand why the mum called the police if she wanted the police to do nothing?! And yes from my understanding adding more people to the scene would make things worse not calm her down :(

[@gyoshindark]

It’s the parent’s responsibility to control there children, not the police .

[@jb-zr4ez]

Perhaps close the shop doors to customers after closing time and wait until remaining ones have all left before shutting the tills down? Why let customers in if trading has ceased for the day? It seems to have been an avoidable situation.

[@Siouxsi-Sioux]

Even though everyone else gets it. Hilarious.

[@shanghaichica]

It think they were in the process of pulling down the shutters when the girl entered the shop from outside

[@Beano1986]

Good grief…. Carrie Grant what if the staff can’t afford the £2? Or have 10 minutes to calm and talk to the person? People have their own families to look after and places to be

[@liamvibes24]

Seriously?

[@judithmorganjudyteen]

Don't think the money was the issue as the mum could have left the two pound on the counter

[@fanedits.9719]

They should close the doors before they close the tills so one one else can come in.

[@jisoo1571]

The shutters were closing when this happened according to the police statement :)

[@LopMomm]

Shutters arent the same as doors. Most shops have multiple exits

[@jisoo1571]

@@LopMomm I guess that depends where you shop, but on Google there is no other entrance from what I can see. In my experience shops down a street like that also have one entrance/exit. The back is not for customers.

[@charlesjamesward7374]

The mum should’ve never called the police in the first place because it’s a civil matter not a crime

[@EdelweisSusie]

And because as Katie’s mother, who knows better how to handle Katie?? Very odd action.

[@shanghaichica]

Maybe she thought the police would force CeX to give them the DVD

[@charlesjamesward7374]

@@EdelweisSusie though I do think the store should’ve showed some humanity and let her pay for the dvd

[@Beano1986]

@@shanghaichica this is exactly why… it wasn’t to “de-escalate” the situation like she said. It was to shame and force the shop into getting what they wanted

[@RabJ208]

@@charlesjamesward7374, true! spot on! The mother should have dealt with the issue. The fact that she rang the Police proves that she herself couldn't control the situation herself.

[@corajeanmcnulty2238]

I dont know much about this story, but many comments are making differing points about closing hours, the shutters down, times to let customers in, etc. If the teen is severely autistic could they have been let in to the shop at an appropriate time but moved slowly around the shop? As someone who did Sundays at a Tesco checkout, people were allowed in to begin their shopping early. We would have queues at the checkouts before we were allowed to serve them. I actually got in trouble once for starting to put a person's shopping through the till slighly early. I thought I could do it because they had a huge shop and by the time they paid for it all it would be opening hours. Nope. Never worked a closing shift but employees can get in trouble for not doing things by the letter. "But its Christmas" does not work for business. Something tells me this was mishandled by the family who should know, after 19 years, how to help the daughter navigate the world.

[@danielwilliamson6180]

I am autistic. I once met actor John Levine aka Sgt. Benton from Doctor Who and he was not nice to me. He had no knowledge of autism and when I told him, he said that I should do something about it and try smoking dope. I think it's disgusting what has happened to this by autistic girl and it's a shame there are people out there who have no knowledge or understanding of autism. It can be lonely and isolating being autistic and it's shame that autistic people like myself have to be victims and be treated like pathetic children. Idiots, weirdos and mad people. The police mishandled the situation. It's like First Blood and The Fanatic.

[@LopMomm]

John levine also badmouthed tom baker. He was just about ok as benton but clearly the weakest regular on the show for a while.

[@danielwilliamson6180]

@@LopMomm Meeting John Levine was a real disappointment.

[@jetnight88]

The police need to be trained for autism people

[@RabJ208]

@@jetnight88, I'm more concerned about the conduct of the mother.

[@tinashea7790]

So strange to call the police. I have autistic adult children and if it was near the end of the shop opening hours, I wouldn’t go in, as everything takes longer for us, to avoid meltdowns. Once you’re in, you can’t get a fully grown reluctant adult out again. So traumatic for the girl.

[@amandawilson7412]

Why didn’t the mum and sister try to explain to her Or at least don’t take her into a shop which was closing Don’t blame the staff They are not there to pay for items for customers Vulnerable or not

[@JamesBurdon-gu5yu]

Yoir ignorance is sickening. Autism is a spectrum some cant be explained to and cant understand even basic concepts

[@cobrakaier238]

Maybe you should listen again and hear the part that she doesn't understand the concept of opened/closed.

[@meganstewart9062]

I understand my son has the same condition and people are just beyond me I hope she is OK and sending lots of love ❤️

[@Lucy-lp9kv]

I don't understand why her mum would ring the police. It is likely to make it worse. If her family can't get her out the shop without carrying her when they know her.. then the police have no chance.

[@aliciawrathford1926]

My nephews autistic and when he behaves like this, he gets calmly explained to that his behaviour is unacceptable and that while his reaction is understandable due to his autism that doesn't mean he is allowed to continue the behaviour as it is disrusptive to others ( and if repsect is to be shown to him he must repect others the same way its hard to teach but a compitent parent finds stratagies to deal with such things) and that if he dosnt rectify his responce he will for example lose play time or have to sit in the quiet of his room for a while when he gets home. The mothers decision to call the police to deal with the situation highlights her incompitance as a mother and after 19 years she should know how to deal with such things and her other daughter going on tv highlights this is nothing more than a way for them to get attention and most likley compensation. I have simapathy for the poor young girl for the fact that from what this looks like her sister wants to cash in on a situation, her incompitant mother made 1000x worse by involving police who for the most part due to cuts are not trained to adequately deal with such things. The sister ought to be as ashamed of herself as she believes everyone else involved does because her story has holes in it, and it's obvious she's playing the situation for advantages. Absolutly discusting woman sat right there.

[@ELITEGAMER98.]

Loads of shops are very hostile towards people with Learning difficulties/disabilities that's why i shop online but if an actual shop lifter came in they would do nothing about it.

[@AmsArtwork]

I’m a 16 year old with verbal Autism and ADHD. If I’m ever having a meltdown due to being in an overwhelming situation, the worst thing for me, personally, is being grabbed during this state. As most autistic people are sensitive to touch, it can create a more overwhelming environment. Even just a hand on the shoulder can be stressful.

[@Age-Rebel]

Wow, the entitlement all round. Family and Carrie who thinks hard working staff should have offered to pay for it. Maybe don’t call the police to remove her and then complain when they remove her. The family seem to think everyone should bend over backwards to accommodate them. I didn’t see any manhandling. Maybe she won’t do it again.

[@alexandrarohla1531]

Speechless God help those who are vulnerable

[@Crimsondream01]

As a verbal 44 year old with autism, never call police they don’t handle this well

[@auouraschannel5230]

So... the girl went into the store as the shutters were closing. The police spoke to her for over 20 minutes. They had to then carry her out. What else are they meant to do? Let her live in the store for the night? How else do you deal with that situation?

[@LeoWolfish]

Without knowing how those 20 minutes went down hard to say, not their fault in the slightest regardless. If what was said in this interview is fully true, not the shop workers fault either except maybe for loosing patience. As someone who worked on a checkout for over 15 years I don't blame them but it probably didn't help get her out quicker if true. In some, not all but some cases like this what might seem like someone with the mind of a toddler can actually just be a case of they understand but the commands for lack of a better term from their brain to their body can take a much longer time the most people. Leading to frustration and embarrassment that because they are non verbal they can't express very easily. Or in short the moment the mum phoned the police that frustration and spooking if she didn't notice her mum doing that pretty much removed any hope they had of her walking out way before then. It is also why you plan ahead and don't take them shopping so close to closing time. My aunt is non verbal like the girl in this video and her main carer/ person she lives with has to plan ahead for this very reason.

[@patriciam.1204]

Why should the staff on min wage pay for the DVD or offer to come back the next day and pay. …that could have cost the staff member their job. So sorry for the wee girl she didn’t need to be treated by the police like she was. ..but the mother did call the police instead of distracting and talking to her daughter. …only one victim the girl!

[@liamvibes24]

@@patriciam.1204 whats minimum wage got to do with it? Decency and compassion for others is what you should expect from everyone, no matter how much they are paid.

[@louistully8724]

Somethings not adding up. If the family were there, but couldn't calm the girl, nor remove her from the store themselves through verbal persuasion, what chance did the police have? I feel bad that the lass was traumatised, but I dont think we're getting the full story.

[@jamiewatchorn7639]

It also happened again when I was at my review at psychiatry and had a meltdown and the psychiatrist told my mum get that child away from me or I will move him myself. My mum was horrified. This is systematic. When the Drs who diagnose you are the ones who treat you like that then it’s no surprise. I am now physically disabled because of autism school staff at my first special school doing far worse than this police officer, with one even standing on my face when I was 11 and another trying to break my arm. My dad took photos of my bruises and the police and social services wouldn’t do anything

[@lbunnygordon1133]

You need to get a lawyer...but I know it will probably be beyond your means to do so.

[@jaiadixon7918]

Jesus ! That is just unacceptable ,bless you x

[@jackgrant9301]

Terrible you had to go through that. Of course, you didnt have to. They viewed you as an easy target and pushed you around. I've been treated badly as well. They dont see us as people.

[@BudgetVegan]

I am so sorry you went through this

[@LopMomm]

Never heard a doctor say that but i am a full grown man. Find many doctors hard work though. They often talk down to you.. one on 111 was abysmal.

[@charlotteb5802]

Shop people shouldn't be blamed or expected to "pay the £2" ppp have their own bills and presents to pay for it's not up to them and they can easily get in trouble if they offer to pay or let someone off wirh paying.

[@dawsie]

The shop should not close the till until the shop is cleared of customers and the doors are closed. That’s how it’s done in Australia, the tills are closed after the doors are locked not before the doors are locked. The shop caused the issue by closing the till before the doors were closed to customers.

[@LordWalsallian]

​​@@dawsienot according to the Police. The shutters were being put down as they entered the store, and there were no other customers in the store. You also don't tend to lock the doors before everyone leaves for the day as there doesn't appear to be a back entrance to this store so they have to leave out of the front anyway. This is entirely the mothers fault.

[@charlotteb5802]

@@LordWalsallian completely agree if the shutters are half down that's completely the shops right to refuse service , retail workers are blamed far too often.

[@RabJ208]

What else could the police have done in that situation? The mother was probably hurling abuse at the staff for not serving their daughter, leading to the daugher becoming more and more upset. The police weren't voilent, and carried the girl out with dignity. The mother voilated her daughters dignity by letting this mess go online for the world to see. Disgraceful parenting.

[@cocoaorange1]

If the store was closed. They should have explained it to her.

[@RabJ208]

@cocoaorange1 , who told you that they didn't explain it to her?

[@meandi5956]

Sorry, what the police did was wrong, but wasn't it the mom who should have said it's closed and we should leave the shop, and explain to her daughter outside? Why keep it going inside?

[@firstnamelastname-se8uu]

I feel for her and anyone who has suffered similar injustice in our 'society'.

[@billyr4556]

Why is the woman with the dyed hair telling staff earning minimum wage in a second hand shop to buy items for customers? If the girl starts turning up at the shop at the same time every day does this woman expect the staff to buy her a DVD every time? And she says the police should ask the mother how to deescalate the situation, yet supposedly it was the mother who called the police in the first place. Why didn't the mother just take her daughter shopping an hour earlier?

[@HopeWren]

Shocker that CEX staff were rude & antisocial…

[@lawrencehaynes6408]

How were they rude? they were closed simple as.

[@LucyLlewellyn-z9m]

​@lawrencehaynes6408 the way they handled the situation

[@lollybooth7008]

How were they rude? They’re on minimum wage and wanted to get home. They’re retail staff not babysitters or nurse maids. Children are the responsibility of their parents. This entire episode is the fault of the mother.

[@LopMomm]

Thats true in general but now and again its worth your time to talk to them. The effort they out in makes me less bothered about their wages. K appreciate more physical jobs paid poorly.

[@Lasherluke]

Im autistic and work in retail. This could have so easily been avoided had the shop and mother come to an agreement of coming back the next day and asking the staff to keep the dvd to one side for them

[@Dysfuctional101]

I respectfully disagree. You cant just reopen tills or give something away for free because a child is crying. Autism or not. As they point out, this little girl has the understanding of a toddler. If a toddler were to get upset for the same thing, it would be up to the parents to remove them from the situation, not demand that the premises ignore their workplace rules and regulations.

[@Themarvelnerd2016]

As someone who is verbally autistic this is honestly insulting instead of calling the police they could’ve handled everything calmly

[@TheChewieboy]

the shop was closed / tills were offline - the mother called the police because the staff wouldn't give her autism daughter the DVD granted the DVD was £2 but what would happen if she has another meltdown & the item in question was £200 dose the mother expect member of staff to paid "as it's only £200" - the mother should of explain to the daughter she couldn't have the DVD + where the full video as I believe the mother kicked off with the staff over the item being £2 (the mother sounds entailed & it believe it was the mother fault) - I would like to see footage before the police carrying the girl out of the shop?

[@ross3695_basedhax]

I ran away from my abusive family all the way to the police station, told them I was about to be killed. Instead of helping me, they proceeded to call my dad up to the station and relay everything I told them BACK to my dad, then forced me BACK to my abusive dad's car after I told them repeatedly I was about to be killed. They did not give me the choice to stay at my friend's place, still leaked his location back to dad and wrote me off as a 'vulnerable adult' 5 months later I still have PTSD symptoms and freak out when I hear police sirens, still dream about it almost every night. I managed to get away from them a week later but I will never truly escape from that incident

[@grumble3929]

People are saying that it was bad parenting!!!! Have these people got a child that is Autistic??? Well I have and if you have then you know how hard it can be.........

[@ConfusedMonkeVr]

With having someone close to me with the same exact thing it is heartbreaking to see how many people are so mean

[@ghostsamongus3370]

If she is that bad off she shouldn't be allowed to go out in public. Just because she has something wrong with does not give her the right to act that way. The police acted appropriately

[@ben2927]

Seems to me the only person who's fault this whole situation is the mum !

[@maryamali3347]

file legal claim if you are reading the comments and after that come on TV. The police is not above the law. Justice for the non verbal autistic woman.

[@perrytito]

As a person who's turning 47 years old this month with high functioning autism and also William syndrome is a chromosomal abnormality similar to Down syndrome, for those who don't know, it has left me with the mental age of a young teen and an emotional age of a younger child. This has hit home for me because I have, too, have had first-hand experience with the police over the years, which, btw through no fault of my own but through circumstances. I know just how cruel society on a whole can be, along with the legal system. It's heartbreaking. Society needs to be come better adapted to those with special needs, especially when it comes to the law, by responding more to their developmental age rather than chronological age because it just simply doesn't work. Education and training are key along with empathy. I hope this girl is going to be ok. Wth love and support from her family, she'll be ok. I am sorry that this is long, but it needs to be said.

[@karamsingh982]

You cant take a dvd and then come back to pay next day! the fact its 6.15pm (15 minutes after shop shut) i'm sorry its not staff responsibility to take payment after till shut police was called by the mother... why? police are NEUTRAL if shop shut they asked customers to leave

[@patmustard1511]

the only way that could work is if the 2 pound was left on the till with the barcode and note stating "a child bought this product yesterday but the tills were shut, scan this code and put the money in the till as a transaction. It sounds easy, but anyone who has worked in a cash room or as an auditor knows how complicated such a move is, which is why the minimum wage employees were following policy.

[@karamsingh982]

@patmustard1511 possibly.... but I doubt the crex staff would know how to handle that situation

[@freerangefool3121]

If the mother can't deal with this situation then it's unrealistic to expect strangers to understand and deal with it. If it's bedtime and the girl doesn't want to go to bed is it 999 time? FFS! The police have to deal with the complete spectrum of human behaviours on a daily basis and don't have the time for hours of talking over a simple trespass issue when the person doesn't understand. Who is the woman accsuing the police of "a lack of humanity and compassion"? Needs to meet the police officers and apologise. Disgusting hypocrite.

[@amberwild-ms4co]

This doesn't make sense - if her mum was there and as they said here, parents know how to calm and de-escalate their children, why did her mum need to call police? It really comes across as if the expectation was that they would force the shop to sell her the dvd after closing time. It's obviously not right that she was manhandled out like that but police don't have magical powers or expertise beyond the parents' knowledge of their own child so it's not clear what they were expecting

[@Ryan-ch8ui]

A girl who has autism and she wanted a Thomas the tank DVD and the police just took her away and she was at the shop at the time I have autism so I think it was ASD and I am 18 and I'm nearly 19 so it was so distressing to be able to watch that video

[@IllusivePrime]

Why call the police?! :-/ I don't see the point. Rather a complete waste of time. The store workers said the tills were closed and you could of mentioned that to the teen. The store did nothing wrong. You could of just slowly moved her out of the store so the team could do their jobs.