A six-year-old who reportedly threw a tantrum at school was led away by police and put in a mental health unit for 48 hours against her mum's wishes.
In chilling police bodycam footage, little Nadia King can be seen calmly walking out of school accompanied by police.
She innocently asks: "Is I going to jail?" as she is led towards a police car.
The Jacksonville police officers in Florida, who attended and recorded the video, have been praised for their calm and friendly manner as they looked after Nadia, reassuring her that she is not a bad person.
The officers appear unconvinced the young girl is a threat.
At one point Nadia asks: "You have a police car?" and the female officer replies: "Yeah I got a police car. You wanna ride with me?"
When the little girl asks if she is going to jail, the officer says: "No, you're not going to jail, you will not go to jail.
"You're not no bad person, you're not going to jail."
Once the girl is in the back of the police car the officers chat among themselves, with one saying: "She's fine, there's nothing wrong with her."
The police had been called to Love Grove Elementary School in Florida, after Nadia was reportedly involved in an incident in a special needs class on Tuesday, February 4.
She was accused of destroying school property and attacking staff.
In Florida, a law called the Baker Act can allow authorities to hold anyone they deem to be a danger to themselves or others for psychiatric evaluation.
It was intended for families and friends to help their loved ones in times of mental health crisis, according to the University of Florida Health.
Nadia was taken to the 84-bed River Point Behavioural Health facility which houses patients of all ages.
Nadia's mum Martina Falk says her daughter was held for two days and sedated without her permission.
Ms Falks, a 31-year-old customer services assistant, said: "I was crying, I was hysterical, I was angry.
"I don’t think she should have been Baker Acted. Why did they feel this was necessary?"
Tracy Pierce, spokesman for Duval County Public Schools, said it was Child Guidance, a crisis-response firm, that decided to have the girl admitted to the mental health center — not the school.
He said: “When a student’s behavior presents a risk of self-harm or harm to others, the school district’s procedure is to call Child Guidance, our crisis-response provider.
“Our staff followed that procedure."
The girl has since been enrolled at a new school and her family have instructed lawyers.
