Virginia teen handcuffed, charged with theft of ‘free’ milk

A black Virginia student was handcuffed and charged with stealing a 65-cent pack of milk, which he already had the right to procure for free. Police applied larceny charges anyway, because he allegedly “concealed” the milk.

After the May 10 incident, the student named Ryan was also suspended from Graham Park Middle School in Triangle, Virginia.

That day Ryan, who is entitled to the school’s free lunch program, went back to the lunch line to get his milk, according to his mother Shamise Turk. Later, a Prince William County Police Officer accused Ryan of stealing the milk and charged him with larceny. Ryan has since been ordered to appear in juvenile court.

"I'm angry, I'm frustrated, I'm mad. It just went too far. They are charging him with larceny, which I don't have no understanding as to why he is being charged with larceny when he was entitled to that milk from the beginning,” Turk told WTVR news. "This is ridiculous ... this is beyond embarrassing ... he's at home for 65 cents."

Even though Ryan was within his right to obtain the milk for free, the police said larceny was applied because he “concealed” the milk.

At the same time, the school insists the suspension was a “disciplinary action” that Ryan deserved given how he behaved when the situation unfolded. Besides the theft, he allegedly was disrespectful and used his cell phone in school.

According to authorities, he “became disorderly” forcing police officers to use handcuffs on him.

Ryan admitted that he “yanked away” from the officer and “told him to get off of me because he's not my dad.”

"Because he was fidgety, kept pulling on the strings of his pants, and laughing when we were trying to talk to him and just wouldn't talk," his mother said of his behavior.

She also said that her son was taken to the principal's office and searched for drugs.