chanel
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A Sussex County woman has filed a lawsuit against two Andover Township police officers, claiming they forcibly subdued and arrested her while they were checking to see if she was safe.
The incident, as described by the lawsuit, began to unfold the evening of Nov. 14, 2008, as follows: Leenstra, who is acknowledged in the lawsuit as suffering from an unspecified mental illness, sent a text message to her therapist stating: "Do you think its a good day to die? I do."
Thinking Leenstra may be suicidal, the therapist then asked police, who had previously conducted mental health welfare checks on Leenstra at her home on Limecrest Road, to go to her home again for another check.
But Then and Kithcart returned to the Leenstras home and a confrontation ensued inside her bedroom. The return visit was required as part of the welfare check to take her for a mental health evaluation.
Leenstra was later arrested and charged with aggravated assault for allegedly trying to kick the officers during the incident and with throwing bodily fluids at the officers for allegedly spitting at them when she was being taken to Newton Memorial Hospital. She was remanded to the county jail in lieu of $20,000 bail.
After her arrest was publicized, she lost her job at the Oxford Township Middle School in Warren County, where she worked with special-needs students, said Patti.
N.J. woman accuses 2 police officers of forcible arrest during safety check | NJ.com
Interesting case. If Leenstra had killed herself, would the cops be responsible as well?
Cops have a really tough job.