ORLANDO, Fla. — The State Attorney's Office said the Orlando charter school where two children were arrested last month wanted to press charges against one of the children.
The children, a 6-year-old boy and a 6-year-old girl, had their wrists bound with zip ties by school resource officer Dennis Turner on Sept. 19, after an alleged temper tantrum at Lucious and Emma Nixon Academy.
Details of the boy's arrest have not been made public. A staff member claimed the girl started kicking and hitting people when she was told she couldn't wear sunglasses in class.
In his arrest report, Turner wrote that the staff member wanted to press charges. But the school issued a statement saying no one wanted either child arrested or criminally charged.
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On Wednesday, State Attorney Aramis Ayala's Office revealed it had contacted the school four days after the arrests. An attorney said, "As it relates to the 6-year-old boy, the school did indicate that they wanted to prosecute. However, as it relates to the 6-year-old girl, we did not get the same confirmation."
The staff member who reportedly wanted to prosecute the girl filled out a witness statement, which WFTV obtained. At the bottom of the witness statement, there is a section to refuse to prosecute. The staff member wrote "N/A." A section where witnesses can choose to testify in court and prosecute was left blank.
The boy was never processed by officials. The State Attorney's Office dropped both cases.
Turner was fired on Sept. 23. Police Chief Orlando Rolon said Turner violated department policy by arresting children under 12 years old without a supervisor's permission.
Rolon said his department is also investigating why no one told Turner he was suspended after the children's arrests. Turner and the girl were at school the day after the incident.
"It was my understanding he was informed that he was not to report to school. Unfortunately, that did not happen," Rolon said.
The girl's attorney, Darryl Smith of Smith and Eull Law Firm, said her record has been expunged.
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