Orange County

Local girl gets new law named after her preventing arrest of children 7 and younger

ORLANDO, Fla. — Kaia Rolle now has a law named after her.

The new law is aimed at preventing the arrest of children 7 years old and younger as part of a much larger police reform bill HB7501.

Rolle, now 8, said it’s “exhilarating.”

READ: ‘It’s still shocking’: Officer fired after school arrests of 6-year-olds, police chief says

In September 2019, Rolle was arrested at Lucious and Emma Nixon Academy where she was accused of kicking and punching three school employees during a temper tantrum.

Bodycam video shows Rolle, then 6, crying and begging Orlando police officer Dennis Turner to let her go.

Meralyn Kirkland, Kaia’s grandmother, worked with Senator Randolph Bracy on the bill for two years.

READ: Records: Fired officer in 6-year-olds’ arrests had been accused of racial profiling

The officer involved in the incident has been fired.


Karen Parks

Karen Parks, WFTV.com

Karen Parks is a reporter at WFTV.

Adam Poulisse, WFTV.com

Adam Poulisse joined WFTV in November 2019.