Florida Police Officers Claim Toddler Seen Lying Down In Viral Video ‘Mimicked’ Her Mother Being Arrested

The Department of Children and Families were notified after the incident given the violent nature of the alleged crime with a child present.

After a viral video of two white Winter Haven, Florida, police officers arresting a Black woman alongside her toddler-aged daughter caused backlash, officials are claiming the child “mimicked” her mother, WFLA reports.

The video shows an officer arresting the woman. At the same time, her daughter, a toddler, was seen lying on the ground next to her in the same position—with her hands behind her back—while a supporting officer was seen pointing a weapon down at them.

While social media comments labeled the move as “crazy,” Winter Haven officials released a statement saying the child was never placed in handcuffs and the toddler simply “mimicked” her mother’s actions after officers directed her to get on the ground.

“Officers responded with an appropriate level of caution with the understanding there was a weapon involved seeking to resolve the situation,” the statement read. “When approaching (the mother and her child), officers could not have known who was in possession of the firearm.”

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The incident started on March 4 when a 911 call went out in connection to a disturbance involving a firearm at a shopping center. Witnesses claimed a man got into a fight with one of the store’s employees in the parking lot prior to fleeing in a red Nissan Altima. The mother and child in the video were passengers.

When officers found the vehicle, all three passengers were already out of the car. As one officer placed the suspect under arrest, the unidentified mother immediately complied with the officer’s commands.

A Diamondback 9mm semiautomatic pistol was later found inside the Nissan.

Despite the social media backlash, Winter Haven Police Chief Vance Monroe and Mayor Nathaniel Birdsong—both Black men—defended the officers, according to Fox 13 News.

“The optics are bad. We’re not going to skip around it. The optics of this incident are bad. They’re terrible. I truly wish that this child was not exposed to this,” Monroe said. “I know moving forward, we’re definitely going to be looking at ways and other avenues that we can safely and effectively engage with our citizens in situations like this.”

Both the woman and man were released following the ordeal as the other party involved failed to press charges. However, the Department of Children and Families was notified, given the violent nature of the alleged crime with a child present.