'Was she a dangerous criminal?' Family appalled by arrest of 11-year-old NT girl after she is found 1000km from home
The family of an 11-year-old girl who was led away in handcuffs in view of other students at her school have branded the incident 'appalling'.
NT Police have defended the arrest saying that they had tried to arrange for the girl, a student at Tennant Creek Primary School, to be taken to a quiet classroom for the arrest to be staged.
A police spokesman said that when the girl was told that she was being arrested she became aggressive.
"The officers, aware of her past history of similar behaviour, became concerned that she was likely to harm herself or others, and restrained her accordingly,” the spokesman added.
Following the arrest last Thursday the girl went missing for four days and was found 1000km away in Palmerston, near Darwin.
The girl's great-grandmother told the NT News: "I think it was appalling.
“I asked the detective in charge, ‘Was she a dangerous criminal that you had to handcuff her?’ He said it was protocol, end of story.
“I don’t think that should happen to anyone. This was a big detective. She is a small, slight girl.”
A police statement on Facebook said: "NT Police is happy to report (the girl) has just been located safe and well at a residence in Palmerston."
In an earlier statement the police had said there were fears for the welfare of the girl who had not been seen by her family since about 4pm on Sunday.
ABC reports that the girl was wanted for property offences and was arrested by officers when she became aggressive towards officers.
A police spokesman told ABC that when trying to seek the girl's co-operation she became 'increasingly uncooperative, argumentative and aggressive'.
