The metropolitan police have been accused of wrongly strip searching a black schoolgirl while she was on her period, on suspicion of carrying cannabis.
The 15 year old girl is said to have been reported by her secondary school teachers to the Met as they had ‘concerns’ she was in possession of cannabis, as she smelt strongly of the drugs.
She was searched in the school without any other adults present and with the knowledge that she was on her period.
The City & Hackney Safeguarding Children Partnership (CHSCP) published a Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review this month following enquiries after the incident happened at the end of 2020.
The young lady’s mother said: “she is a ‘changed person, she is not eating, every time I find her, she is in the bath, full of water and sleeping in the bath.
“Not communicating with us as (she) used to, doesn’t want to leave her room, panic attacks at school, doesn’t want to be on the road, screams when sees/hears the police… When sleeping, (she is) screaming in her sleep, I have to watch her.”
The girl identified as Child Q also released a victim impact statement saying “on the top of preparing for the most important exams of my life. ‘I can’t go a single day without wanting to scream, shout, cry or just give up.
“I feel like I’m locked in a box, and no one can see or cares that I just want to go back to feeling safe again, my box is collapsing around me, and no-one wants to help.
“I don’t know if I’m going to feel normal again. I don’t know how long it will take to repair my box…”
Scotland Yard have apologised and said that the incident “should have never happened”.
