Warning: This story includes details and language that may be distressing for some readers.
A mother in Winnipeg says a confrontation with police has left her and her family shaken.
Charity Tom, who is Sayisi Dene, says on May 21 at around 4:00 a.m., she awoke to the sound of banging on her door. It was the Winnipeg police.
An officer told her they received a call about an unsupervised child roaming outside. Tom told officers they had the wrong house and that her children were sleeping inside.
Tom said a few minutes later, police officers knocked again and then entered the house.
Here is what the home security camera footage obtained by APTN News shows:
Tom unlocks the door and partially opens it. You can see the officer.
CT: Good morning
Police: Hi we got a call saying that there’s a kid outside all by himself
CT: Not here
Police: Is there kids in there?
CT: They’re sleeping
Police: They weren’t outside?
CT: No?
Tom closes the door. At some point later, another knock. There are now multiple officers.
Police: We’re coming in okay?
CT: It’s not this house, what’s wrong with you?
Police: It is.
CT: Oh my god. What are you doing? I didn’t f**king do anything!
The first officer seen grabbing Tom’s wrist and pushing her out of camera view. Another officer moves towards her.
Charity: Did you see that? I want that badge number.
Police: Your kids are (unintelligible) outside, listen.
Charity: My kid is sleeping, I have one young kid
Police: Listen, we have a complaint from multiple people that there’s a kid who’s going in and out and out of the door
Charity: That’s not my house
Police: From 43
Charity: That’s probably next door
Police: (Unintelligible)
Now multiple police are entering the house. One is struggling with Tom.
Charity: What’s the badge number?
Police: Get up. What’s your name?
Charity: Charity
Police: You wanna get the cuffs?
Charity: No, I just told you
Police: So then stop acting like a c*nt
Charity: You.
Police: Stop f**king flexing or I’m gonna bring you to the drunk tank
Charity: I’m not doing anything, let go, I’ve got to stand up
Police: Stay here. You’re trying to go down to your kid
Charity: No I’m not. I’m trying to stand up
Police: Then stand up. Go in your room
At this point, a young child can be heard as police stream down the stairs.
Charity: Let me stand up
Police: Stand up, I’m helping you
Police 2: ….older kid
Police: Do you want to get arrested or not?
Tom insisted it wasn’t her child they were looking for. She told APTN her shirt was ripped and she sustained bruises as a result of the officers pushing her.
In an email sent to APTN, Winnipeg police confirmed officers attended to a call about a two-year-old child left unattended outside without adult supervision on May 21 at 4:00 a.m.
The address listed included the block where Tom’s residence is located.
Police said that attending officers verified the child’s well-being despite “an uncooperative caregiver”.
Tom, who is the mother of three children, said her youngest child is seven years old.
At the time of the incident, she said the youngest child was sleeping in the basement. Her older children, who are 18 and 15, were sleeping upstairs.
“My son heard all the commotion, and they were asking my name, and I didn’t want to give it because I didn’t like how they were handling me,” Tom said.
For now, Tom has chosen not to report the incident, citing fear of the police. She believes this was a case of racial profiling, and wants an apology.
“I don’t want any other parent to go through that, single parent. I don’t want anyone to go through it,” she said.
The Winnipeg police stated no charges were laid but would not provide further information to protect the child’s identity.
