Police have been sharply criticized for not persecuting a white woman who hit a 12-year-old black boy on the forehead with a paddle so hard that she needed hospital treatment for a deep cut.
The woman was arrested after the incident in the riverside park near Bristol, but three weeks later Avon and Somerset police informed the boy’s family that no further action was being taken as the woman claimed she acted in self-defense and felt ” endangered. “
Relatives of the boy, Antoine Forrest, who has autism, and activists have wondered why the woman clashed with Antoine and not with white friends he was with, and asked if race played a role in the decision not to press charges. The forces have since said they have launched an investigation into the case.
Antoine Forest in the photo after the incident
The boy’s father, a mixed-race Tyran Forrest, said: “If I had beaten the white child, I would be in jail right now. I was devastated when I received the letter from the police that they were not taking any further action. I had to tell Antoine that she would get away with it.
Antoine’s head was so badly cut that it had to be glued, and he was left with scars and a lump. His father said: “He was so upset. I raised him to be brave, so he tried to take him by the chin. He is trying to get on with his daily life, but he is affected. “
The incident happened in Conn Park in South Gloucestershire on March 26, when Antoine met with a group of friends on a warm birthday.
Tyran Forest, a builder and driver in Stockwood, southern Bristol, claims that some of the children – but not Antoine – threw mud balls at passing boats, including one combed by a woman who works for a car dealership.
What followed was supposed to include pushing and shouting, and ended with Antoine being hit by the woman with a paddle and, as Tyran Forrest said, “My son was standing there, blood running down his face.”
Tyrant Forest called and asked the woman what had happened. He said: “She said she saw red and didn’t think so. Police arrived and arrested the woman. “I was told she admitted it,” he said. Antoine gave a video interview explaining what happened.
Asked why he thought Antoine, not his white friends, had been hit, Tyrant Forest said: “It seems a little suspicious that she went to him. People can watch it as they please. “
A letter arrived on April 14 telling the family: “The case has been reconsidered and unfortunately no further action has been taken.”
He continues: “The main reason is that during the interview the suspect indicated the possibility of self-defense. By this we mean that the suspect admitted to pushing Antoine and when she pushed him, she held the paddle in her hand and this touched his head. The suspect claims that she repulsed Antoine because he challenged her and she felt threatened by him and the surrounding group.
There was outrage after Antoine’s family posted a picture of the wound on his head and the letter on social media. Patricia Daly of Black Protest Legal Support called on police to reconsider the case. Former boxer Ashley Theophan wrote that he was not surprised by the reaction of the police.
In a statement, Avon and Somerset police said the incident was taken seriously and a woman was arrested and interviewed. It added: “There was no realistic prospect of a verdict based on the available evidence after the investigation. After learning about the worries of the victim’s family through social media, the officers contacted them and started an investigation.
“This examination will be carried out by an experienced detective sergeant, under the supervision of a senior officer. It is monitored by the Police Office and the Commissioner for Crime, and the intention is to identify appropriate independent controls so that our communities can have confidence in the outcome. “
The Guardian tried to contact the woman through her workplace, but received no response.
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