AUBURN, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — Auburn Police bodycam video shows the struggle between three officers and 39-year-old Chelci Love.
Police Chief James Slayton said her child was wedged between her legs.
“Let go of the baby,” yells an officer, with the cries of a child heard after. “Let go of the baby!”
Police were called to Love’s apartment to assist Child Protective Services (CPS) after finding out she was sleeping with both of her children, ages six and three, on the floor of the West Middle School apartment building. Love’s mother agreed to take the children, but after a disagreement between the two, the mother rescinded the offer.
“If my kids get taken, I’m going to beat her ***. Understand that. I will beat my mom,” yells Love in the video. “Don’t touch my kids because I will beat my mother’s ***. I will beat her to death.”
Love then tries leaving with both kids, but police tried to handcuff her after she made threats to the CPS worker.
“You can’t take the kids with you. Here’s the paperwork,” says the worker.
“I’m about to **** you up,” Love replies.
A struggle ensues, and that’s when Love’s three-year-old becomes trapped between her legs.
Police tell her to release her child.
An officer then tries to spread her legs apart and applies pressure to Love’s thumb to get her to stop. That doesn’t work. He then delivers multiple strikes to her left shoulder and around her head and neck.
“I told you! Let go of the ******* baby,” yells an officer before delivering the strikes.
“He’s punching me,” Love yells.
That officer then pulls the child out, and Love is placed into custody.
After reviewing the incident — Slayton says, “The amount of necessary force used to obtain the officer’s objective was met, and the officer followed his training to meet this objective, which was to protect the child from harm.”
Love is now facing multiple charges, including harassment, obstructing governmental administration, endangering the welfare of a child, and resisting arrest.
We have contacted multiple organizations who have spoken about this video for comment but have not yet heard back.
