Yesterday New Yorkers shared a collective SMH over a photo of a 7-year-old boy in handcuffs. Today the tabloids advance the story in their inimitable way by following up with the 9-year-old boy who was allegedly bullied by Wilson Reyes. The Daily News wins the day with their coverage, scoring EXCLUSIVE photos of alleged victim Seth Acevedo, who broke down in tears during the interview. Somehow we suspect this story isn't really going to help alleviate Seth's bullying problem...
“Wilson was the worst bully,” Seth tells the News. “He would call me names. He would punch and kick me. I wish they never took the cuffs off of him." Reyes was arrested and taken into custody for ten hours at the beginning of December, after he allegedly punched Seth in the face and robbed him of $5 as he walked home after school. "He deserved to be cuffed,” Seth insists. “He acts like an animal... People are trying to say, poor Wilson, but he’s nothing but a big bully.
The photos surfaced because Wilson's family intends to sue the city for $250 million. Their lawyer says, “The child did absolutely nothing wrong. He did not take any money from any child... The arrest was a complete violation of his civil rights, of his human rights.” NYPD Internal Affairs has launched an investigation, but departmental spokesman Paul Browne tells the Post the family is “grossly distorting and fabricating facts.”
Wilson was initially charged with robbery, but those charges were dropped after another third-grader confessed.
