The mother of a 10-year-old Mississippi boy who was arrested last year for public urination has filed a lawsuit against the city and several police officers seeking $2 million in damages.
The incident occurred on August 10 when Quantavious Eason was taken into custody after a police officer observed him urinating behind his mother’s car in a parking lot in Senatobia, just south of Memphis.
According to the federal lawsuit, Quantavious, a third-grader at the time, was not handcuffed but was held in a jail cell for approximately 45 minutes to one hour.
The lawsuit also accused Chandler, Jenkins, and the unnamed officers of using excessive force.Latonya Eason/Facebook
In the lawsuit, the boy’s mother, Latonya Eason, is seeking compensatory damages for the “physical and psychological injuries” she and her son suffered as a result of the incident.
Despite the charges against Quantavious being dismissed, the now-11-year-old continues to experience “embarrassment, harassment, PTSD, shock, and other physical, emotional, and traumatizing injuries,” the lawsuit stated.
Eason expressed her son’s ongoing fear of law enforcement officers, stating, “It gets to the point where he sees police officers, he just starts shaking. He’s frightened.”
The suit alleged that after initially receiving a verbal warning from a Senatobia officer, Jenkins and four other officers arrived at the scene and insisted that Quantavious “must go to jail” for his behaviour.
Quantavious was later charged with being a child in need of services before being released into his mother’s custody.
Senatobia Police Chief Richard Chandler admitted that the arrest was “an error in judgment,” and the department acknowledged that the boy’s treatment “violated” their policy.
Following public backlash, at least one officer was fired, and a judge ordered Quantavious to comply with several conditions, including checking in with a probation officer monthly and adhering to a curfew.
Latonya Eason’s 10-year-old son, Quantavious, was arrested for public urination last August.Latonya Eason/Facebook
Attorney Carlos E. Moore, representing the Eason family, emphasized that the lawsuit is a call for accountability and systemic change within law enforcement practices, asserting that every individual deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.
Moore suggested that racism played a role in Quantavious’ treatment, noting that a white child would likely not have been arrested for the same offence.
The lawsuit accused Chandler, Jenkins, and the unnamed officers of using excessive force and claimed that Chandler failed to train his officers adequately.
Richard Chandler did not respond to requests for comment, and the other defendants, including the City of Senatobia, were not immediately reachable for comment.
“This happened in Mississippi. This happened in America. And we’re here to say to the City of Senatobia, you have to pay for what you did,” Moore asserted.
