These cameras let you check up on your dog or cat—and feed them treats—over the internet.
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Thursday, February 27, 2020
Black Developer Terrica Smith Went from Homeless to Building Affordable Housing
As a black woman in her mid-30s, Terrica Smith has cleared many hurdles to accomplish a number of major feats. She is the owner of Cachet Real Estate and a managing partner for Salt Capital Equity Group. Smith is also bringing her dream to life with the Madeline Cove project, a housing development that will provide 30 affordable homes, 60 townhouses, a 50-unit senior complex, and a retail building, according to The Acadiana Advocate.
The purpose of the project is to satisfy the housing needs of New Orleans’s north side. This project, backed by a local bank, already has a waiting list of more than 300 people. According to The Acadiana Advocate, the structure will include “the senior center, featuring 50 living units that will each be 500-600 square feet” and a “retail center, which will feature up to five spaces for light retail, a coffee shop or maybe a grocery store.”
Smith’s journey was a difficult one. She was a foster child who ended up aging out of the foster care system when she turned 16. Afterward, she was homeless on the streets of New Orleans.
“My mentor was being homeless,” Smith said. “It was the scariest moment of my life because people are pulling on you, trying to attack you. It’s not safe. You can’t sleep. I made a promise to my son under that bridge: As long as I had air in my lungs, I would never be homeless again.”
But Smith turned her life around, taking a leap of faith from living under the Claiborne overpass to visiting the White House, where along with other leaders and various business officials, she spoke about New Orleans’s progress with the project and Opportunity Zone program.
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Wednesday, February 26, 2020
How door-to-door canvassing slowed an epidemic
Liberia was the epicenter of a high-profile Ebola outbreak in 2014-15, which led to more than 10,000 deaths in West Africa. But for all the devastation the illness caused, it could have been worse without an innovative, volunteer-based outreach program Liberia’s government deployed in late 2014.
Now, a study co-authored by an MIT professor shows how much that program, consisting of door-to-door canvassing by community volunteers, spread valuable information and changed public practices during the epidemic. The findings also demonstrate how countries with minimal resources can both fight back against epidemics and gain public trust in difficult circumstances.
“Mediated [volunteer-based] government outreach had a positive impact on all of the [health] outcomes we measured,” says Lily Tsai, a professor of political science at MIT and co-author of a new paper detailing the study’s findings. “People knew more [about Ebola], had a more factual understanding of the epidemic, and were more willing to comply with government control measures. And downstream, they’re more likely to trust government institutions.”
Indeed, after talking to canvassers, residents of Monrovia, Liberia’s capital, were 15 percentage points more supportive of disease control policies, 10 percentage points less likely to violate a ban on public gatherings (to limit the spread of Ebola), 26 percentage points more likely to support victims’ burials by government workers, and 9 percentage points more likely to trust Liberia’s Ministry of Health, among other outcomes. They were also 10 percentage points more likely to use hand sanitizer.
Intriguingly, the volunteer-based outreach program succeeded after an earlier 2014 campaign, using Ministry of Health staff, was abandoned, having been “met with disbelief and outright violence,” as the new paper states.
“There’s often an assumption that government outreach doesn’t work,” says Tsai, the Ford Professor of Political Science at MIT. “What we find is that it does work, but it really matters how that government outreach is conducted and structured.”
The research shows that, crucially, 30 percent of the people who spoke with canvassers already knew those volunteers, adding a layer of social trust to the program. And all volunteers canvassed in communities where they lived.
“They were building interpersonal trust and enabling people to hold them accountable for any misinformation,” Tsai says. “They were like guarantors for a loan. It’s a way of saying, ‘You can trust me. I’m going to co-sign for the government. I’m going to guarantee it.’”
The paper, “Building Credibility and Cooperation in Low-Trust Settings: Persuasion and Source Accountability in Liberia During the 2014-2015 Ebola Crisis,” appears in advance online form in the journal Comparative Political Studies.
In addition to Tsai, the authors are Benjamin S. Morse PhD ’19, a senior training manager and researcher at MIT’s Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), and Robert A. Blair, an assistant professor of political science and international and public affairs at Brown University.
When “costly signals” build confidence
Liberia faced many challenges while responding to the Ebola crisis. The nation’s brutal civil wars, from 1989 to 2003, stripped away much of the government’s functionality, and while the country has since taken major steps toward stability, there is still deep and widespread suspicion about government.
“In Liberia, you have a postconflict setting where citizens already mistrusted the government strongly,” Tsai explains. “When citizens say they don’t trust the government, they sometimes think the government is actually out to hurt them, physically.”
To conduct the study, the research conducted multiple public-opinion surveys in Liberia in 2014 and 2015, and added 80 in-depth interviews with government leaders and residents in 40 randomly sampled communities in Monrovia.
To be sure, Ebola was a substantial problem in Liberia. Overall, there were 10,678 reported cases of Ebola and 4,810 deaths attributed to the illness. In June 2014, the surveys showed, 38 percent of Monrovia residents thought the government’s statements about Ebola constituted a “lie” designed to generate more funding from outside aid groups.
However, the study found, once the volunteer-based program got underway, canvassers were able to not only reach large numbers of residents but persuade residents to believe what they were saying.
While knocking on doors in their own communities, the canvassers were equipped with bibs and badges to identify themselves as program volunteers. They distributed information and had conversations with other residents, and even offered their own contact information to people — a significant (and potentially risky) gesture providing a form of accountability to other citizens.
“A large part of what worked was that the outreach workers made it possible for the people that they were canvassing to track them down,” Tsai says. “That’s a pretty big commitment, what we call a ‘costly signal.’ Costly signals help build trust, because it’s not cheap talk.”
Ultimately, while Ebola took a significant toll in Liberia, the volunteer campaign was “remarkably (and surprisingly) effective” in changing both behavior and attitudes, the paper concludes.
A case study in rebuilding trust?
Tsai believes that beyond the specific contours of Liberia’s Ebola response, there are larger issues that can be applied to the study of other countries. For one, while Liberia received significant aid in combatting Ebola from the World Health Organization and other nongovernmental organizations, she thinks the need for short-term aid should not preclude the long-term building of government capacity.
“In the short term, it can make sense for external actors to substitute for the government,” Tsai says. “In the medium and long term we need to think about what that substitution might do to the trust and confidence that people have in their government.” For many people, she adds, “the assumption is the government either isn’t capable of doing it, or shouldn’t be doing it,” when in fact even underresourced governments can make progress on serious issues.
Another point is that the Liberia case shows some ways governments can build confidence among their citizens.
“In so many countries these days, trust in institutions, trust in authorities, trust in sources of information is so low, and in the past there’s been very little research on how to rebuild trust,” Tsai notes. “There’s a lot of research on what lowers trust.”
However, she adds, “That’s what I think is special about this case. Trust was successfully built and constructed under a pretty unlikely set of circumstances.”
Support for the study was provided by the International Growth Centre, the Omidyar Network, and the MIT School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences.
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What Is Medigap (Medicare Supplement) Insurance?
Is a Medigap Insurance Plan Right for You?
Did you know that Original Medicare health insurance plans don’t cover all of your health care costs? That’s where Medigap insurance plans (also known as Medicare Supplement insurance) come in. Medigap plans are designed to help reduce your extra expenses by supplementing Original Medicare and paying for certain out-of-pocket costs.
We will give you the answers you need to common questions about how Medicare Supplement insurance works.
A Quick Summary of Original Medicare
Before we get into Medigap plans, let’s look at how Original Medicare (Medicare Part A and Part B) usually works:
Part A covers:
- Inpatient care offered in hospitals or skilled nursing facilities
- Home health care services
- Hospice care for the terminally ill
Part B covers:
- Doctor services
- Outpatient care
- Medical supplies
- Medical equipment
- Preventive services
| Medicare Plans | Part A | Part B | Medicare Advantage (Part C) | Part D | Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans |
| Features | Covers inpatient care and home health care services | Covers doctor services, outpatient care, and medical supplies | Coverage may include wellness programs, hearing aids, and vision services | Provides prescription drug coverage | Covers out-of-pocket costs (such as deductibles, copays and coinsurance) not covered by Parts A and B |
What Is Medicare Supplement (Medigap) Insurance?
Medigap plans are offered through private insurance companies and cover extra health care costs not covered by Original Medicare (Parts A and B).
Medicare Supplement insurance plans cover:
- Copayments
- Coinsurance
- Deductibles
Some Medigap plans also cover medical services when you travel outside of the U.S.
| Covered by Medigap | Not Covered by Medigap |
| Copayment | Prescription drugs |
| Coinsurance | Long-term care |
| Deductibles | Private-duty nursing care |
| Medical services received outside the U.S. (some Medigap plans) |
How Does Medigap Work?
You must already have Medicare Parts A and B before you can buy Medicare Supplement insurance.
Here’s what to expect when you enroll in a Medigap insurance plan:
- First, Original Medicare pays its share of the Medicare-approved amount for covered health care costs. Then, your Medicare Supplement insurance policy kicks in and pays its share.
- You pay a monthly premium to a private insurance company for your Medigap plan. This monthly premium is in addition to your monthly Medicare Part B premium.
- A Medigap plan only covers one person. If you and your spouse are looking for a Medigap insurance plan, each of you will need to buy separate policies.
- All standardized Medigap plans come with guaranteed renewal, even if you have health problems. Your insurance company can’t cancel your Medigap policy as long as you pay the premium.
- You can’t have a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan and a Medicare Advantage plan at the same time.
- There’s no prescription drug coverage. Medigap plans don’t include prescription drug coverage. You can join a Medicare prescription drug plan (Part D), if you need prescription drug coverage.
- Not everything is covered by Medigap. Medigap plans usually don’t cover long-term care, vision or dental care, hearing aids, eyeglasses, or private-duty nursing.
- Make sure your insurance company is licensed. You can get a Medigap plan from any insurance company that’s licensed in your state to sell one.
Standard Medigap plans are labeled A through N and offer different health coverage levels.
While premium amounts differ among insurance companies, the benefits of each standard Medigap plan are the same.
For example, Medigap Plan C policies offer the same benefits regardless of which insurance company provides it. The premium amounts might be different depending on which state you live in.
When Can I Enroll in a Medigap Plan?
Most people become eligible for a Medicare Supplement plan shortly before age 65. The Open Enrollment Period for Medigap plans is six months before the first day of the month of your 65th birthday — as long as you also have Medicare Part B — or within six months of enrolling in a Medicare Part B plan.
During this time, you can buy any Medigap policy at the same price a person in good health pays, even if you have health issues.
Here’s an important thing to keep in mind if you have health problems: you might have to wait up to six months for Medigap coverage if you have a pre-existing health condition. Your insurance company can refuse to pay for out-of-pocket costs for pre-existing conditions during this six-month period.
Your Medigap policy must cover your pre-existing conditions after that initial six months.
An exception to this rule is if you get a Medigap policy during your Open Enrollment Period and have had continuous creditable coverage (a health insurance plan) for the six months before getting a policy. The Medigap insurance companies can’t deny you coverage for a pre-existing condition in this situation.
Can I Change My Medigap Plan?
There are certain situations where you might want to change your Medigap plan. For example, you might want to change your Medigap plan if you find a plan with a lower premium. Perhaps you’ve decided that you need more benefits than offered in your current Medigap plan. Or, you might want to change insurance companies.
As long as you are enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B you can apply for a Medigap plan at any time. If you are also within your 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period, you can switch Medigap policies.
While you can apply for a Medigap policy at any time, it doesn’t mean that an insurance carrier has to accept your application unless you have guaranteed-issue rights.
Guaranteed-issue rights, also known as Medigap protections, are situational rights you have that mean insurance companies must offer you certain Medigap policies. If you are in any of following situations you have guaranteed-issue rights:
- You previously had a Medigap plan, dropped it to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan, it’s been less than one year, and now you want to switch back
- You are currently enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan and your plan is no longer covering your area, or you are moving out of the coverage area
- Your current Medigap insurance provider goes bankrupt and you no longer have coverage
- You have Original Medicare, along with either union coverage or an employer group health plan that pays after Original Medicare pays, and that plan is coming to an end
The Bottom Line about Medigap Insurance Plans
Medigap plans can give you peace of mind by reducing your out of pocket expenses and keeping your health care coverage affordable. It’s a good idea to shop around and look at different Medigap plans, as different insurance companies can charge different premiums for the same policy.
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‘Sistas’ cast defends Tyler Perry against critics who say he shouldn’t be writing for women
After Tyler Perry revealed that he has no writer’s room and pens all his own scripts, many in Hollywood began questioning if it was ill-advised for a man to be writing so much female-centered content without collaborating with actual women. Now the cast of his new BET show Sistas is stepping forward to respond to his critics.
Earlier this month, while taking part in Deadline‘s New Hollywood podcast with the African-American Film Critics Association, comedian Lil Rel Howery minced no words while voicing his opinion on the topic.
Read MORE: Tyler Perry responds to criticism about not having a writers’ room
“I love Tyler Perry and I’m proud of him, but I told myself I’m a say something because I don’t agree with that. I don’t understand,” he said, noting, “You can’t write a show called Sistas and you’re not a sista. So you don’t want no suggestions or nothing?”
“I know we talk a good game about ‘This is what I’m doing, I’m doing this, I’m doing that.’ Once again, I’m talking, but I’m putting my money where my mouth is,” he added. “I don’t have what he got yet, but as I climb up here, I’m a do even more of that. We gotta do better man. It’s all talk, but if you’re really on that, then give people jobs, bro. You can’t base nothing on one writers’ room, brother. That means you didn’t hire good writers. Find more writers! That’s just real.”
READ MORE: Tyler Perry admits having ‘knockdown, drag-out’ fight over wig featured in Netflix film
The cast of @SistasOnBET says Tyler Perry is qualified to write for and about Black women: "I think there is a culture of hateration." https://t.co/Mg0SkNA4EQ pic.twitter.com/9CbKXsuu59
— ESSENCE (@Essence) February 25, 2020
But Sistas star Mignon Baker doesn’t necessarily agree with that take, explaining to Essence, “We have a director, producer, executive producer, creator who loves women. If you’ve ever taken the time to watch his interviews, he will tell you that his number one inspiration is his mother.”
“I think—I’m just going to be honest with you– there’s a culture of hateration,” she continued. “There’s a culture of being critical. And I think there’s a reason for that. And it’s because so many of us aren’t following our dreams. And it’s so easy to not be in the ring and to stand on the sidelines and critique. But once you get in the ring, once you start following your dream, you are going to naturally become a compassionate, less critical, more gracious person. So, all those people critiquing, I understand that. I believe in constructive criticism. I understand everyone has an opinion but get into the ring. Understand how hard it is first and then criticize.”
READ MORE: Three big changes for Tyler Perry shows this upcoming season
“I think it’s really important to remember that Tyler Perry puts Black women at the forefront in so many ways. “Sistas” comes from women in his life,” chimed in costar Ebony Obsidian. “He may have sat there and written a script but it’s coming from Black women. So Black women’s fingerprints are all over this script.”
Baker also added, “He said at our premiere that he actually gave some of the women on his staff producer credits because he listened to them. He sat down and talked to them for a couple of hours and he was like, ‘I’m going to write this.’”
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OPINION: The Gayle King vs Snoop Dogg debacle woke up cells of pick-me’s & Black woman haters
Days after the tragic death of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna Bryant, journalist Gayle King became entangled in a web of grief-driven backlash when a truncated clip of her interview with basketball star Lisa Leslie hit the airwaves. King probed Leslie on Bryant’s legacy, touching on the rape allegations that shadowed his career in the early 2000s.
Snoop Dogg says his desire to ‘protect’ Vanessa Bryant led to him lashing out at Gayle King
The segment was aired without context, and critics, who hailed the line of questioning as insensitive, inappropriate and at its worst—hateful, made King a target of vitriol and misogyny within the Black community.
Snoop Dogg became one of the leaders of the verbal mob, posting a video on Instagram filled with threats and name-calling aimed at the careered journalist. Death threats haunted King both online and offline, prompting Oprah Winfrey to speak up on behalf of her friend, who understandably feared for her life. In the days that followed, Snoop went on to offer an apology to King—one she accepted—and made the decision to continue his forgiveness tour with a seat at Jada Pinkett-Smith’s Red Table.
OPINION: Marc Lamont Hill talks Gayle King controversy
I was admittedly skeptical about Snoop being on the show. First, because King as the victim should have been centered in the conversation, but Pinkett revealed early on that she offered an invitation to Gayle to come on the show too. Second, I was concerned about what accountability would look like for Snoop outside of apologies–too often Black women impulsively coddle and protect Black men amidst their own wrongdoing.
Black Twitter responds to Red Table Talk promo clip of Snoop Dogg episode
While the hate from men towards King came as no surprise, the Black women who joined in on the tirade against the 65-year-old, demonstrated how the sneaky hands of patriarchy compel women to fight at their own expense. This phenomenon, referred to in popular culture as pick-me syndrome, aligns women with the misogynistic views of their oppressor to earn favor or to appear more desirable. Black women are particularly vulnerable to dive into pick-me territory, triggered by scarcity and the desperation to be chosen by their male counterparts at any cost. Snoop’s defenders saw the tension between King and Snoop as a microcosm for an overall “attack against Black men” who are idolized in sports and entertainment.
A respected Black man passes away.
An uglass Black wanna be white woman spits on his name.
A Black man grieves his friend and calls out previously mentioned wannabe.
A different dumb ass Black woman reprimands Black man?
This ain’t it, Jada. https://t.co/TbiZbdp6QI
— Transforming…….💜💛💜💛 (@QueenOHarts) February 23, 2020
Right!! She started it!! He finished it #imwithsnoop I bet she’ll think twice next time trying to tarnish the black man!!!
— Rhoda (@Rhoda77862587) February 9, 2020
Just another example how the black mans value is deprecated. Snoop is being emasculated and he’on even know it.
— AShaye💫🕊 (@BlaqueBonnE) February 24, 2020
On Red Table Talk, Snoop himself addressed the “collective anger of Black men” saying they “came from behind closed doors” against King because they feel Black women are targeting them. “You guys are coming after us, and you are us. Why y’all attacking us, after we make it?” he said.
What’s missing here on both sides is the critical understanding that holding men accountable for their actions is not an attack. In fact, that accountability is what cultivates healing and mutual respect in our communities. It’s understandable that emotions were high in the wake of the death of one of our superheroes, but we do ourselves a disservice if we don’t acknowledge the human part of the man. While we can be critical of the timeliness of Gayle’s interview questions, the hate aimed toward her in the fallout speaks more about the disdain for Black women than a reverence for Kobe’s family.
And when the dust settled, Black women were left to pick up the pieces. Pinkett, along with her family members, Iyanla Vanzant and Jemele Hill, thanked and praised Snoop for his apology on “Red Table Talk,” seeing it as a step towards collective healing. Even though Snoop was called out by other famous men about his actions, it was ultimately a phone call from his mother that prompted his apology.
“There were certain things she said to me that made me feel like a kid again,” Snoop said.
I would’ve liked to see another Black man visible in this segment to hold Snoop accountable because so often Black women are burdened with the roles of victim, ally, fixer, and absolver. Ultimately, changed behavior will be the test of true reform, and hopefully another Black woman won’t have to bear this type of pain in the gap between sorry and corrected action.
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University of Southern California Announces Financial Aid Expansion to Benefit Lower Income Families
University of Southern California President Carol L. Folt announced two new policies to make a USC undergraduate education more affordable for those who may not ordinarily meet the financial constraints of the university: families with an annual income of $80,000 or less will attend USC tuition-free and owning a home will not be counted in the calculation used to determine a student’s financial need.
These new actions will start with first-year students who will enter USC in the fall of 2020 and the spring of 2021.
“We’re opening the door wider to make a USC education possible for talented students from all walks of life,” said Folt in a written statement, who has promised to make access and affordability a priority since she became president. “This significant step we are taking today is by no means the end of our affordability journey. We are committed to increasing USC’s population of innovators, leaders, and creators regardless of their financial circumstances. Investing in the talent and diversity of our student body is essential to our educational mission.”
These changes will allow the university to provide more viable opportunities for low- and middle-income students both in California and throughout the United States. Eligible students who apply will receive up to $45,000 more aid during their undergraduate studies.
“Financial barriers should not be a deal-breaker for students with the merit and motivation to attend a top-tier research university like USC,” said Undergraduate Student Government President Trenton Stone. “This plan will help make our incredible university community more accessible to a wider range of individuals from diverse financial, geographical, and cultural backgrounds.”
As part of this new expansion, USC will increase undergraduate aid by more than $30 million annually, which will allow the university to provide stronger financial assistance to more than 4,000 students every year once the program is in full effect. It is anticipated that approximately one-third of the fall 2020 and spring 2021 entering class will benefit from this increase in financial assistance.
“USC is committed to educating the strongest minds, independent of background or ability to pay. For decades, USC has invested in this commitment,” provost Charles Zukoski said. “With this new initiative, we will be even better positioned to recruit students from all backgrounds and strengthen the USC experience for everyone.”
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Court evidence show girl found dead in duffel bag had been abused for months
Trinity Love Jones, 9, had been bruised and abused for months. When she was finally identified, after her dead body was found in Hacienda Heights partially stuffed inside of a duffel bag, a medical examiner drew multiple diagrams to capture all of her scars.
READ MORE: Missing Black girl found in duffel bag identified by police; death ruled homicide
Recently in a Pomona, California courtroom, Superior Court Judge Mike Camacho ruled there was enough evidence against the girl’s mom, Taquesta Graham, 29, and her mom’s boyfriend, Emiel Hunt, 39, for the state to proceed to trial. Both have been charged with murder and torture and have pled not guilty, according to The Los Angeles Times.
Evidence presented at the preliminary hearing included text messages between Graham and Hunt that allegedly show they had beaten and starved the girl numerous times over a period of months. Trinity developed an infection on her feet that made it painful when she wore shoes.
On Friday, Camacho ruled the case should proceed to trial, noting the evidence showed “systematic abuse and neglect.”
“It’s clear that these were intentional acts and the defendants acted with conscious disregard,” Camacho said, according to The Los Angeles Times.
Investigators read text messages in which Hunt and Graham talked about punishing Trinity for peeing on herself. “Trinity is going to get it,” her mom allegedly texted Hunt during one text message exchange.
In another, Graham asks Hunt to show Trinity the text she has sent: “We were talking about giving you a burrito …you messed up.”
Hunt and Graham told police that two weeks before Trinity died, she had fallen and hit her head. L.A. County Sheriff’s Det. Marc Boisvert testified that the girl had a huge lump on her forehead and both of her eyes were swollen.
Boisvert told the court that Graham told investigators Trinity was congested on Feb. 28, 2019, so she gave her Pedialyte, soup and a bagel, then got in the shower. She said when she got out, Trinity was having a seizure, The Los Angeles Times reported.
Later that day, Graham told detectives, she went to work at a dollar store while Hunt waited for her in the parking lot. Trinity was in the back seat of the car sleeping. She said when she got off work around 9:30 p.m., the three returned to a hotel, and Hunt carried Trinity to the room. Graham said when she checked on her daughter later that night, she wasn’t breathing. She also shares, according to The Los Angeles Times, that she believed that Hunt had placed a pillow over the child’s face earlier that night in the car.
Hunt tells a slightly different story. He told police that when he woke up around 3 a.m. on March 1 and noticed Trinity wasn’t breathing, he and Graham “freaked out” because they both have criminal histories. He further stated that they told each other “we didn’t do anything wrong,” Boisvert testified, according to The Los Angeles Times.
READ MORE: Mother charged with gruesome murder of girl found stuffed in duffel bag
The girl’s body was found March 5, 2019, partially hidden inside of a large duffel bag near an equestrian trail in Hacienda Heights. Police asked for the public’s help in identifying the girl and received thousands of tips, including one from a relative who called police after seeing a sketch and photo of Trinity, The Los Angeles Times reported.
Sheriff’s Det. Louie Aguilera testified that police have the couple on surveillance footage carrying what appears to be a body wrapped in a blanket from the Budget Inn in Sante Fe Springs. They also have video from Walmart showing the couple buying two shovels, a blanket and a lighter and video of them at another store buying a duffel bag identical to the one Trinity was found in.
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Heartbreaking bodycam video shows 6-year-old girl being arrested at Orlando school
On Monday, February 24, a body camera video was released that showed last year’s arrest of a 6-year-old Black girl by Orlando police. The child had thrown a temper tantrum in school, resulting in three school employees reporting that they were punched and kicked.
Kaia Rolle had calmed down and was listening as a woman read her a book inside an office at Lucious & Emma Nixon Academy on Sept. 19, 2019, when two Orlando police officers approached her with ‘zip tie’ handcuffs to place her under arrest.
READ MORE: Florida cop who arrested 6-year-old girl for throwing tantrum, suspended
“What are those for?” Kaia reportedly asked the officers, according to The Orlando Sentinel.
“They’re for you,” Officer Dennis Turner reportedly replied back as the other officer tightened them around Kaia’s wrists.
The first-grader immediately started crying. “No… No… Don’t put handcuffs on!” Kaia told officers, according to the Orlando Sentinel. The school staff member who was reading to Kaia told her to go with the police officers and that her grandmother would pick her up.
Kaia’s and another 6-year-old’s arrests at the school last September, caused national backlash for the Orlando Police Department because of the student’s young age. Ultimately, Turner was fired.
Now, bodycam images and video have been released to the public and it’s sure to stir up even more condemnation.
“Help me, help me, please!” Kaia can be heard crying as officers placed her in a police SUV to be transported to the Juvenile Assessment Center and school employees looked on.
Turner reportedly told school officials that he had arrested 6,000 people throughout his police career and that the youngest was 7. When they informed him that Kaia was six, he seemed to take it in stride, according to The Orlando Sentinel.
“Now she has broken the record,” Turner reportedly said.
“The restraints, are they necessary?” one school employee asked Turner.
“Yes,” he replied, adding: “If she was bigger, she would have been wearing regular handcuffs.”
The body cam shows officers walking with Kaia to the squad car as she cried, “I don’t wanna go in a police car.”
The other officer, who has not been identified, responded: “You don’t want to? … You have to.”
“Please, give me a second chance,” Kaia begged. Still, they put her in the squad car and ultimately took her to the county Juvenile Assessment Center where she had to stand on a step stool so her photo could be shot. Her fingerprints were also taken.
Prosecutors dropped charges against Kaia the next day.
Meralyn Kirkland, Kaia’s grandmother, said it was tough watching the bodycam footage but that she’s glad it has been released so everyone can see how traumatizing this was for her grandbaby. Kirkland told the Orlando Sentinel she wants the video to prompt people to support a proposal that makes 12 the minimum age for officers to arrest a child.
READ MORE: Florida cop who arrested 6-year-old girl over school tantrum fired
“I knew that what they did was wrong, but I never knew she was begging for help,” Kirkland said to the newspaper. “I watched her break.”
Kirkland said Kaia had sleep apnea, which was causing her some problems in school. Despite that, she said she had been working with school officials on the issue, prior to Kaia’s arrest.
The young girl is now enrolled in private school.
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