A Toledo woman who says she was arrested while in a police vehicle after her son’s death is now suing the city and the officers involved.
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Toledo, alleges that Sgt. Eric Stoughton violated the Michigan Civil Rights Act when he used excessive, unreasonable force during his arrest of 17-year-old Jordan Henderson.
The city of Toledo issued a statement Tuesday night, saying it would “take appropriate disciplinary action” against Stoughson.
Stoughton is an 18-year veteran of the Toledo Police Department.
In a statement, the city said it had investigated the complaint and found it “to be without merit.”
The Toledo News-Gazette obtained the lawsuit from a law firm that represents the Henderson family, including the Henderson’s attorney, Patrick Kappen.
St.oughton and another officer, Detective Anthony Fialkow, were on duty on Feb. 3, 2017, when the Hendersons called 911 from a house on South Main Street in Toledo’s Southtown neighborhood, according to the lawsuit.
The two officers approached the Henderson home, where they found Henderson’s 13-year old son Jordan Henderson sitting in the front yard.
Jordan Henderson was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Toledo Police Dept. did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday night.
The Toledo City Attorney’s Office said in a statement that it has since reached out to the family and the Henderson Police Department for comment.
It is unclear if Henderson’s family will have an attorney present during the lawsuit’s hearing.
Henderson’s family is represented by the ACLU of Ohio.
