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Teen Beauty Queen Says NYPD Treated Her Like An Animal During Stop
By
Ben Yakas
Published Jul 10, 2013
Modified Jul 10, 2013
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Jul 10, 2013
Modified Jul 10, 2013
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A teenage Westchester beauty queen is suing the NYPD for badly mistreating her and her mother during a stop in Harlem. “We were treated like animals,” Kristy Abreu, the reigning Miss Westchester USA, told the Daily News about the incident. “It was the worst night of my life. It haunts me every day."
Abreu and her mom, 38-year-old Kendy Paredes, have told the city they intend to sue for $210 million for the incident that occurred near W. 145th St. and Eighth Ave. on May 5 at about 9 p.m. Despite showing valid registration and insurance papers for their 2006 Honda Civic, cops apparently thought the car was stolen, and handcuffed the two during a minor traffic stop.
The women say that they told cops about being stopped in 2012 because of a computer glitch that made police think their car was stolen, but the cops mocked them: “When we got to the precinct, they just started laughing at us,” she said. She added that cops never read them their Miranda rights, and they threatened, humiliated and intimidated them. She also claims they denied them access to food, drink, the telephone and the restroom.
Eventually, Abreu was allowed to go out and bring back the car’s title documents, and the two women were released without being charged. But Abreu is haunted by the experience: “They didn’t show any respect. They didn’t care,” Abreu said. “I just hope the community becomes aware of the ways police harass people and make them feel bad. It was just a nightmare.”
Tagged
cops
Kristy Abreu
miss westchester usa
nypd
police
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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