Family of teen with autism left ‘deeply distressed’ after Lisburn shop incident

20 comments

1. I don’t believe for a moment that they called the police just because the child was “upset”. Something else has gone on here and they are leaving it out.

2. [deleted]

3. Autism is not a get out of jail free card

4. If I were the person behind the till, I’d of put the DVD aside and asked them to come back tomorrow to purchase it and although the workers certainly didn’t help in de-escalating the situation, I do believe the parents are at fault for this. They were the ones who took her into a shop with the shutters halfway down, they were the ones who didn’t leave with Katie when told they couldn’t purchase the item at that time, and they were the ones who called the police.

5. 4 police officers there carrying her out… but conveniently there’s a shortage of police when an actual crime occurs….

6. It’s weird the til was shut 20 minutes before closing tbh but also the police did not need to be involved. Carrying her out is not the worst outcome there could have been.

7. “Katie doesn’t speak and has the mindset of a young toddler,” The family are quite right that she can’t advocate for herself, so that is the role of family and carers.

   The fact the police had to remove her would indicate that the family were unable to get her to leave, or that the family themselves refused to leave. Either way this is not a position that minimum wage staff should be put in a position of dealing with.

   The police would not have got there immediately, so there was every chance for the family to deescalate by removing themselves from the situation. Even when the police did arrive, that should have been the clue for the family to leave.

8. She might have autism but you still have to play by the rules of society.

9. Poor reaction but it seems the parents were not very cognizant of the situation themselves and did not help matters. Entering a shop as the shutters are going down with a complex need child on a mission. Major no no.

10. I thought it was a head in a plastic bag from the thumbnail and no wonder she was removed!

11. What purpose does it serve to escalate a situation, film it, then post it online? How does that help?

12. No means No. if the tills have been cashed up we cannot reopen them- I don’t work at CEX though.
    This is entirely a parent problem. Don’t be using your autistic child as a get out of jail free card.

13. Wtf is with that ‘head in a carrier bag’ picture? Looks photoshopped

14. Toddlers still understand the word No. this is down to piss poor parenting

15. The shop closes at 6, the girl was trying to buy something after close and couldn’t, staff were trying to get them to leave but obviously can’t physically force them to (only police can do that).

    The GIRLS MOTHER called the police 15 minutes AFTER closing time (yay, retail workers favourite at Christmas), no idea what for, presumably she thought they’d come and force the staff to stay open and serve the daughter?

    Anyway, the police showed up and removed an adult that was causing a scene when they would not leave of their own accord.

    This is a little sad, but it’s such a non story.

16. Why is it people are always angry at the police for doing or not doing something but in this case when they heavy handed people are defending them

17. I don’t understand why they didn’t just take the cash and give them the DVD.

18. I think both the parents and the shop workers could’ve done more here. But all in all the parents should’ve deescalated this situation. the footage of the police carrying the girl out is distressing to say the least but the police had to do what they had to do.

19. Why does that picture look like someone carrying a bag with a head in it?

20. Retail workers don’t get paid enough to deal with this shit

Comments are closed.