"Sounds like a lawsuit to me": Elyria Police Department sparks outrage online over mistaken raid that caused baby Waylon's hospitalization

The mother of a 17-month-old child claimed that the Elyria Police Department had allegedly mistakenly raided her home, causing injuries to her son, Waylon. The mother, Courtney Price, claimed in a Facebook post that her child, who was ventilator-bound, suffered burns and injuries from shattered glass. The incident took place on January 10 at 331 Parmely Ave., Elyria, Ohio.

She also told CBS that the chemicals from the flash bangs had given her son chemical pneumonitis. However, the Elyria Police Department denied any injuries caused to the child due to the raid, claimed that he had a medical condition, and further stated that the warrant was executed at the right address.

Netizens were outraged at the Elyria Police Department and demanded justice for Baby Waylon. One X user commented under Tizzy Ent's video about the incident:

Netizens condemned the actions of the police department (Image via X/@TizzyEnt)

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Netizens demand a lawsuit against the Elyria Police Department

Netizens were outraged at the actions of the Elyria Police Department and demanded justice for 17-month-old Waylan. One user claimed that the department was "lying through their teeth." Most users were in agreement that a lawsuit was in order for the department.

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"They caused my baby to go through horrendous pain": Courtney Price, mother of Waylon

A raid was conducted on January 10 at 331 Parmely Ave., Elyria, Ohio, which allegedly turned the lives of one family upside down. According to a testimony given on Facebook and a GoFundMe by Courtney Price, it all began on an unsuspecting afternoon, when she was getting ready to feed her 17-month-old baby, Waylon, who was in his swing.

Courtney heard a loud knock at 2:12 pm. She assumed it would just be her uncle messing with her; however, while on the top of the steps, she realized that it was the police. Before she had any time to react, the door to the house burst open, and all the windows shattered. She wrote on the GoFundMe page:

"I have multiple guns pointed at me and I just freeze in fear, I see my baby getting covered in smoke. I was screaming “My baby, my baby, he’s on a ventilator, my baby is in here.” I was grabbed by my arm and jerked out the door and put into handcuffs."

Over 20 officers entered the house, and allegedly none of them checked up on her child, who was covered in shards of broken glass and gasping to breathe. She claimed that one of the two medics on the Elyria police SWAT team allegedly used a stethoscope to examine the child and said he sounded clear, although Courtney stated that he did not. She wrote on the fundraiser page:

"He needed 6 more liters of oxygen, his belly was retracting SO hard and his vent settings needed turned up. The negligence from Elyria Police Department caused my baby to have burned eyes, burned chest, burned arm, burned neck."

She added:

"They caused my baby to stop breathing for a few seconds this morning. They caused my baby to struggle to breathe. They caused my baby to have to go all day without eating. They caused my baby to go through horrendous pain."

She asked readers and donors to imagine the plight of a defenseless child with his eyes, lungs, and whole body burnt with smoke for around half an hour. Courtney said that the experience had "changed us forever". She also claimed that the only apology offered by the Elyria PD was a simple "Sorry, wrong house." Surveillance and bodycam footage showed the squad walking up to and breaking into the building.

Courtney shared some images of the injured child on Facebook, which went viral and provoked social media outrage. The GoFundMe, which was created to fund medical supplies, gas, and other necessities for the child, amassed over $35,420 at the time of writing this article. She added:

"His diagnosis is chemical pneumonitis from the chemicals in the flash-bang."

Despite Courtney Price's claims, a press release from the Elyria Police Department told a different version of events. The department claimed that the search warrant was correctly issued for 331 Parmely Ave. as a part of an unspecified ongoing criminal investigation.

The department claimed that they had made "repeated announcements" before entering the building, which housed the mother and child. The department claimed that the mother informed them about the child having a "pre-existing medical condition." The Elyria Police further added that the Elyria Fire Paramedics and the mother reportedly confirmed that the "child did not sustain any apparent, visible injuries."

The department claimed that the mother wanted to take the child to the hospital for the 17-month-old's "pre-existing illness unrelated to the tactical operation," but she allegedly did not have an adequate car seat. Elyria PD detectives allegedly called a Lifecare Ambulance to assist with the transportation of the child to a nearby local hospital.

The department did not disclose any further details regarding the "ongoing" investigation that led to the house raid. They also claimed that the flash bangs were deployed outside the residence and not inside it. The Elyria Police Department press release explained:

"These devices produce sound and light that is noticeable in day or night conditions and are intended to distract the suspects attention. Diversionary devices do not produce a continuous burn and they do not deploy or contain any pepper gas or chemical agents."

The department proclaimed:

"Any allegation suggesting the child was exposed to chemical agents, lack of medical attention, or negligence is not true."

The house that was raided had been rented by Courtney Price's aunt for a year. She told CBS News that Elyria police had approached the house multiple times before. They were searching for a suspect who did not live there. Further heartbreaking information revealed that the child had pulmonary hypertension and was brought to the area for heart surgery, which was delayed due to the incident.

In a January 13 update posted on Walan's GoFundMe page on January 14, it was revealed that the child was moved to the ICU and was taken off oxygen for 30 minutes before going back on it. His vent settings were still very high, and his eyes were still in bad shape.

Courtney said that her son took in food for the first time since the incident, only an hour ago, and handled it pretty well. She thanked everyone for their support but also stated that there was still no apology from the department, which she claimed was "trying to cover everything up." She confirmed that legal action was being taken.