Police in Syracuse, New York, handcuffed an 11-year-old girl for 7 minutes earlier this month after they mistook her for the suspect in a car theft. Video of the incident, which shows the girl sobbing on a snow-covered street, caused considerable public outcry and led the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office to announce changes to their policy around detaining minors.
The girl, who has not been publicly identified, was walking home from school with a group of friends when she was approached by police, according to Syracuse.com. A car theft had been reported nearby, and the girl was wearing a very similar outfit to the suspect—a pink coat and camouflage pants.
"Girl, you're going to tell me this ain't you?" one officer said to the girl in footage of the incident taken by another child.
