Mom picking up child from school taken away in handcuffs
MIAMI -- A mother trying to pick up her first-grade daughter from a South Florida elementary school Wednesday was physically removed from her car, handcuffed and arrested, reports CBS Miami.
According to Rita Guzman's arrest report, when a police officer in the town of Cutler asked her to move, she replied: "Why are you being so nasty?"
"I did not have any intention not to move. I only wanted to know where to move," said Guzman, who claims there was no place to park and that there were other cars in the same area, according to the station.
Guzman reportedly refused to hand over her driver's license when asked for it several times, prompting the officer to act.
"I was just screaming help me, help me, my daughter, I was worried about who was going to pick up my daughter," Guzman told CBS Miami.
But she was taken to jail.
"Spending the night in jail over picking up your kids from school is unimaginable," said Guzman.
Guzman added that it was a humiliating ordeal that she will never forget.
Parents who drop off or pick up their kids from the school say parking is a major problem and that citations are given out on a daily basis to those parking where they should not.
Observers said Guzman's particular situation could have been handled better by both sides.
"He could've told her to get out of the car or simply give her a ticket and leave," said Amanda Tarrant, who told the station she watched as Guzman was pulled from the car.
Alissa Cordero said Guzman could have also helped prevent the escalation.
"I understand that parking can get a little crazy but it would have been simple if she would've moved instead of fighting him and making a big deal about it," she said.