A Baltimore County family says a call for help during their autistic son's mental-health crises turned into a violent encounter with police, and now they are taking the county to court. In a new civil lawsuit, the family accuses the Baltimore County Police Department of using excessive force at their home during two separate incidents in 2025 and is asking for a formal investigation into the department's actions.
According to the family's attorneys, the parents dialed police for assistance both times. They say the first crisis, in April 2025, ended when officers forced their way into the family's bathroom and beat their son. Less than three weeks later, they allege, officers returned to the same house for another mental-health call, and the confrontation escalated again. "Officer Smith shot John 12 times," attorney Thomas Bundy told WMAR 2 News, adding that Haley was struck additional times as he fell.
Local Training and Legislative Pressure
The lawsuit lands at a time when Baltimore County and Maryland officials are already under pressure to improve how officers handle encounters with people who have developmental disabilities. County officers have taken part in BE SAFE training, a program run by Sheppard Pratt in partnership with RISE for Autism, which uses role-playing and video to coach officers on communicating with people who have special needs, according to Sheppard Pratt.
In Annapolis, lawmakers are weighing the LEAD Act, a 2026 legislative package that would require specific police training for elopement and crisis responses involving people with autism, according to Maryland Matters. Advocates say that kind of standardized approach is crucial when a routine welfare check can turn into a use-of-force incident in a matter of moments.
Department Review
Baltimore County Police say the incident is still under review by Internal Affairs and have declined to comment on the pending litigation, according to WMAR 2 News. The family is asking for an outside or formal probe into the department's conduct on top of the in-house review.
National Precedent
The Baltimore County case is unfolding against a national backdrop of scrutiny over police responses to disability-related crises. In 2020, Salt Lake City officers shot 13-year-old Linden Cameron during a mental-health call, a case that ultimately led to a $3 million settlement and training reforms, according to AP News. That shooting became a rallying point for advocates pushing for clearer crisis protocols and more de-escalation training for officers across the country.
What’s Next
The family's civil suit will now move through the courts while the department's internal administrative review continues in parallel, a process that can take months or longer to resolve. Advocates and lawmakers say the filing adds urgency to efforts, including the LEAD Act, to standardize de-escalation and disability-aware policing across Maryland, as described by Maryland Matters.
For now, the lawsuit puts fresh focus on how first responders handle mental-health calls involving autistic people and whether current training and tactics are enough. The Internal Affairs investigation and the civil court case will be the main arenas where the family's allegations and the department's response are tested in the coming months.
