NEW YORK _ The Brooklyn District Attorney on Tuesday dropped all charges against the mom caught on viral video showing cops yanking her baby from her grasp inside a Brooklyn social welfare office.
"Like everyone who watched the arrest of Jazmine Headly, I was horrified by the violence depicted in the video and immediately opened an investigation into this case," Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez said in a statement. "It is clear to me that this incident should have been handled differently."
Gonzalez said that a peace officer for the Human Resources Administration "escalated the situation" and created "an awful scenario" that was depicted in the viral video.
The 2 {-minute video shows a group of NYPD officers yanking Headley's 1-year-old son from her arms as she tries to fight them off while sitting on the floor of a HRA SNAP center in downtown Brooklyn Friday.
Headley, 23, was arrested on a slew of charges including resisting arrest and endangering the welfare of a child.
A judge ordered her released without bail on the Friday incident, but she remains in custody on Rikers Island an outstanding warrant in Mercer County, N.J.
"This morning my office spoke to the Brooklyn DA about dropping the charges against Ms. Headley," Mayor de Blasio tweeted Tuesday. "I applaud the DA's decision to do so. She should be reunited with her child as soon as possible."
Headley went to the center run by HRA because her child care benefits were cut off suddenly, according to her legal team.
She took a day off from work and since she had no way to pay for day care, brought her son with her.
She'd been waiting four hours when the incident started, the legal team said.
The NYPD said they were called to the center just before 1 p.m. "due to (Headley's) disorderly conduct towards others, and for obstructing the hallway."
Headley then refused repeated orders to leave the area, police said.
The NYPD says that HRA peace officers and members of FJC security staff who work at the facility forced her to the floor and then the NYPD tried to place her under arrest.
The two HRA officers involved in the takedown have been sidelined as the incident is reviewed, city officials said.
"Discretion is the better part of valor and we must be thoughtful and compassionate in evaluating the merit of our cases," Gonzalez said.
NYPD Police Commissioner James O'Neill said Monday he was "disturbed" by the video.
