Honestie Hodges was just 11 years old when Michigan police officers ordered her to raise her hands, frisked her, placed her in handcuffs, and put her in the back of a patrol car while searching for an adult suspect.
That traumatic encounter with police would later place her at the center of a federal civil rights case and a national debate over policing and children.
The incident occurred in 2017 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, when officers were searching for a 40-year-old white man wanted in connection with a stabbing. As Honestie walked with her mother and a relative to a neighborhood store, officers stopped the family, despite the child bearing no resemblance to the suspect.
Body camera footage showed officers treating Honestie as a potential threat. She was handcuffed for roughly two minutes and detained in a police vehicle for about 10 minutes. The video, later released publicly, sparked widespread outrage and raised questions about racial bias and the treatment of minors by law enforcement.
“I felt like I did something wrong,” Honestie said in a later interview, explaining that the encounter left her afraid to leave her home through the back door.
A Child’s Experience Becomes a Legal Fight
Honestie and her family filed a federal civil rights lawsuit in 2023 against the City of Grand Rapids, its former police chief, and the officers involved. The suit alleged violations of the Fourth Amendment, including unreasonable search and seizure, false imprisonment, and excessive force, as well as failures in training and supervision.
Attorneys for the family argued that Honestie’s treatment reflected a broader pattern of aggressive policing toward Black children. They also questioned whether a white child in the same situation would have been subjected to handcuffs and detention.
The city initially defended the officers’ actions, citing the search for a potentially dangerous suspect. However, former Police Chief David Rahinsky later publicly acknowledged that the child’s treatment was wrong, saying her reaction “made my stomach turn” and stressed that children should feel safe around police officers.
A Life Cut Short, a Case That Endures
Honestie died in 2020 from COVID-19 complications, but her case continued through her family, who pursued accountability in her name. Now, in January 2026, Grand Rapids officials agreed to a $285,000 settlement, pending final approval by a federal judge.
The city stated the settlement was not an admission of wrongdoing, while the family’s attorneys said it represented recognition that Honestie’s rights were violated.
Why Her Story Matters
Though brief, Honestie Hodges’ encounter with police has had lasting legal and policy implications. The case has fueled renewed scrutiny of police practices involving children, particularly Black minors, and highlighted gaps in training on age-appropriate and race-neutral policing.
Advocates say Honestie’s experience underscores the real-world consequences of split-second police decisions—and how those decisions can shape a child’s sense of safety, belonging, and trust in public institutions.
While the settlement closes the legal chapter, Honestie’s story remains a touchstone in ongoing discussions about civil rights, policing reform, and the obligation of law enforcement to protect—not criminalize—children.
