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“It breaks my heart”: How a SWAT team upended my baby’s life — and got away with it
My son will be 2 years old next week. He’s recovering from a total of eight surgeries, one of which was to reattach his nose to his face.
For those who don’t know, it’s been over five months since the night a SWAT team broke into the house in which we were staying. It was the middle of the night, and even though our minivan with car seats inside was parked in the driveway and our children’s toys were in the yard, the SWAT officers claimed they had no way of knowing there were kids inside. We were staying with relatives and my whole family was sleeping in one room. My husband and I, our three daughters and our baby (nicknamed “Baby Bou Bou”) in his crib.
Dressed like soldiers, they broke down the door. The SWAT officers tossed a flashbang grenade into the room. It landed in Baby Bou Bou’s crib, blowing a hole in his face and chest that took months to heal and covering his entire body with scars.
On Monday, we were devastated and heartbroken by the grand jury’s decision to not charge any of the officers involved in injuring our son. I relive that night every time I hold my son, see my daughters afraid and watch my husband in pain. Bou Bou will be 2 years old next week, and my gift to him will be my continued commitment to demand justice for what was done to him. We will not give up, we will not remain silent – we will continue to fight.
Bou Bou’s birthday is October 14. We are very happy we can celebrate with him — after the raid, we weren’t sure if he would make it. But our joy and relief he is alive can’t take away any of the psychological damage done by that raid. We’ve been trying to find a new normal ever since. But it’s been hard.
the rest:
http://www.salon.com/2014/10/10/it_breaks_my_heart_how_a_swat_team_upended_our_lives_and_got_away_with_it/
32 replies
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= new reply since forum marked as read
Response to kpete (Original post)
A SWAT team nearly kills a toddler and no indictments. What was that grand jury thinking?? Now all the family has left is filing a lawsuit, which will be paid by the taxpayers, not the idiots who threw that flashbang grenade. Unbelievable. 
The people that blame them are despicable. They'd lost their home to a fire and were staying with relatives temporarily. They didn't know about the drugs until after they moved there, and did everything they could to get away. They were scheduled to leave the next day.
And it is horrible that the county had said they would pay the medical bills and reneged.
The whole situation is simply obscene. 
I hope they sue and win enough money that they never have to work again.
