Woman who was beaten, had child taken by Philly police at protest speaks out
Rickia Young was snatched out of her car by Philadelphia police and claims they demanded she 'get out of the f----king car'
An innocent young mother finally speaks out after being beaten by police.
Rickia Young made a wrong turn in Philadelphia on October 27 and found herself in the middle of civil unrest due to the police killing of Walter Wallace Jr. She tried to turn back around but before she could officers swarmed the vehicle and yanked Young and her 16-year-old nephew out of the car. Her two-year-old son was sleeping in his car seat and was woken up to the sound of breaking glass, per The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The entire incident was caught on video and went viral.
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“Open the f—ing door!” and “get out of the f—ing car!” Young recalled the police saying in an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer as they snatched her out of the SUV she was driving. Young responded with, “My son is in the car!”
The mother says her son, who also has issues hearing and wears hearing aids, is traumatized.
“He was petrified,” she added. “Pet-ri-fied.”
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Young and her nephew were detained while her son remained in police custody. They were eventually all reunited but the National Fraternal Order of Police posted a story and photo of a white female police officer holding Young’s son.
“This child was lost during the violent riots in Philadelphia, wandering around barefoot in an area that was experiencing complete lawlessness,” the caption read. “The only thing this Philadelphia police officer cared about in that moment was protecting this child. We are not your enemy. We are the Thin Blue Line. And WE ARE the only thing standing between Order and Anarchy.”
The post was removed after complaints since it was false.
One of the officers involved in breaking the car window was put on restricted duty. Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw spoke out about the incident and said “what I saw, it was quite concerning.”
Young says her son has not been the same since. She says he bites his nails and pulls out his hair all new behaviors since the incident. The mother still wears her arm in a sling do to shoulder pains and her nephew suffered broken bones in his hand.
She says she is speaking up and against police brutality.
“I’m speaking up for everyone who has lost they voice and who is scared to speak up. I’m gonna speak up for them. Because it needs to stop,” said Young. “Justice has to be served.”
Young’s attorneys are planning a lawsuit.
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