The incident sparked an outcry from the children’s families and community, and a broader conversation about the impact of trauma on children in communities of color.
MAPLEWOOD, Minn. — Camera video taken Monday night shows four boys, ages 10 to 16, sitting in the back of a Maplewood police car in handcuffs, following reports of shots fired.
The children were detained for 40 minutes, but were eventually released. Now, the incident sparked not only outcry from the children’s families and community, but also a broader conversation about the impact of trauma on children in communities of color.
“The youngest child was 10 years old and children should not have to go through that trauma and unfortunately these are children who have a history of trauma from police violence,” said Jeanelle Austin.
“I cried seeing the mothers,” said Anissa Keyes, a local therapist. “I have four children, myself, 16, 15, 14, and I also have a little one,” she said.
Anissa Keyes is a parent, therapist, and president of Arubah Emotional Health Services based in North Minneapolis. She has seen firsthand how trauma affects children living in underserved communities.
“What we call this is complex, compound trauma. Being discriminated against, they not only don’t feel safe in their community, but they’re physically threatened, stuffed into the back of a car by people who don’t look like them.” Keyes said. “Those who are not connected to them, who are not necessarily on their side.”
But trauma is not new to the teens arrested Monday night.
Last year, 14-year-old Marcoz Paramo and another teenager were killed in Maplewood after reports of a stolen car sparked a police chase.
Páramo’s brother was one of the four teenagers handcuffed.
For these parents, it’s an uphill battle, mixed with difficult conversations about how to handle interactions with the police.
“You have to teach your kids not to stop at a red light, not to talk to strangers and now, you have to teach our kids about the police. It’s sad, it’s 2022,” Cokeila Taylor said.
“These kids are going to have to live with this for the rest of their lives, forever,” Tanya Gile said.
It’s a conversation Keyes often has with his children.
“We have them regularly,” Keyes said. “We have constant conversations about where we go to feel safe, if we live in this area, the same things still happen, who do I go to, if I call the police if something is happening in my neighborhood.”
She says that many children who are retraumatized can suffer long-term effects. “Naturally, their survival techniques may be to fight back, to push back or continue with feelings of hopelessness and helplessness, and a challenge to the community rather than a help,” Keyes said.
In the end, Keyes says it’s up to the community, local police and city leaders to help bridge the gap, so that no child feels unprotected in their community.
“It would be the people in power that would need to do something different, and right now it’s the police officers doing something different so they can create a connection,” Keyes said.
