New York City Mayor Eric Adams believes that the NYPD officers responded appropriately during a violent confrontation with a migrant at a city-operated shelter in Queens, which was recorded on video.
According to ABC News, the police have confirmed that the child did not sustain any injuries during the incident.
According to an NYPD spokesperson, on March 8th, the police responded to a report of a dispute involving an individual who was intoxicated and behaving disorderly. The staff members at the scene were being threatened by this individual. Despite repeated commands from the police, Cordero refused to hand over the child to another person.
Cordero, in denial of being intoxicated, asserted to The New York Times that he had work scheduled for the next day.
According to a criminal complaint obtained by ABC News, Cordero was reported to have exhibited resistance by tensing and flailing his arms, as well as twisting and contorting his body in an attempt to avoid being handcuffed.
“That’s abuse,” the person recording the video can be heard saying in Spanish. “Where are the human rights?”
The events leading up to the video are not clearly depicted.
According to a criminal complaint filed by the Queens District Attorney’s Office, Parrar resisted arrest by pushing multiple officers and vigorously moving her arms to avoid being placed in handcuffs.
According to the complaint, the incident involved the presence of the couple’s other two children, a 3-year-old and a 5-year-old.
According to ABC News, the police have informed the Administration for Children’s Services about the children.
Cordero faced several charges, as confirmed by the police to ABC News. These charges included disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, second-degree obstructing governmental administration, and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
Parrar faced charges of resisting arrest, obstructing government administration, and disorderly conduct.
According to ABC News, Mayor Adams’ office confirmed that the family was reunited on Monday. The family had requested to be relocated to a different shelter and were subsequently placed in Brooklyn.
City Hall officials are currently investigating the incident, although they have not disclosed the agency responsible for leading the inquiry.
A spokesperson acknowledged a recent incident that took place at an emergency shelter in Jamaica, Queens on Friday night, involving a family under their care. The well-being and safety of all migrants and long-time residents of New York, particularly young children, is of utmost importance to us. As such, we have launched an investigation into this matter.
During a pre-scheduled press conference on Tuesday, Mayor Adams expressed that he had discussed the incident with Police Commissioner Edward Caban and was of the opinion that the officers acted appropriately.
The arrest has been condemned by the New York Immigration Coalition, which is an advocacy and policy organization representing more than 200 immigrant rights groups.
According to Murad Awawdeh, President and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition, the video capturing NYPD officers responding to an asylum seeker with violence at a migrant shelter in Queens is deeply troubling. In the footage, the individual is seen holding his 1-year-old baby, highlighting the urgency to ensure that those in the City’s care are provided with genuine care and not subjected to harm by staff or police officers.
“The City should prioritize hiring shelter staff who are culturally competent, as well as bilingual or multilingual. This is essential to prevent communication breakdowns that may contribute to misunderstandings and potentially escalate into violence. It is crucial that everyone is afforded due process, and we urge Mayor Adams to refrain from spreading inflammatory and unsubstantiated information about this case. We also call on the Queens District Attorney’s office to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the excessive force used during this incident,” emphasized Awawdeh.
