Police defend handcuffing of special-needs student

ALTON, Ill. (AP) — Police administrators in the Mississippi River city of Alton say officers acted properly when they arrested and handcuffed an 8-year-old special needs student they say was having a tantrum in school.

KMOX (http://cbsloc.al/13J8gYR) reports that police say they had no choice in restraining the child Tuesday because the girl had taken a swing at a Loy Joy Elementary School resource officer and damaged two classrooms.

The school district's assistant superintendent also is siding with police. Kristie Baumgartner says that when a student potentially becomes a harm to themselves or others and contacting specialists or the parents don't help, on rare occasions police are contacted.

The girl's family isn't satisfied, saying the child didn't get the adequate care and treatment she deserves and that she was treated like a criminal.