Parents Demand Charges Against Deputies Who Handcuffed Special Needs Boy Who Left School

CHICO (CBS13) – The parents of a Chico eight-year-old with special needs are demanding deputies be charged for handcuffing the child.

The elementary school student wandered off campus, but the child's mother thinks deputies acted inappropriately.

The Butte County Sheriff's Department is investigating.

"It was motivated out of desire to keep him safe," said Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea. "It wasn't out of desire to harm him or punish him or anything of that nature."

The mother says her son has an anti-social disorder.

A special procedure is set up with his school if he wanders off campus, but deputies say the handcuffs were used as a last resort.