A Rockford mother is calling for accountability after she says her teenage son, an honor student and football player, was beaten by officers during an encounter involving less than one-eighth of an ounce of marijuana.
The incident, which allegedly left the teen with a broken nose, fractured eye socket, facial fractures, a fractured shoulder, and neck injuries, sparked widespread outrage across social media, with community members urging the family to seek legal action and media attention.
The tension started when police reportedly pulled over a vehicle containing several minors.
As per the teen’s mother, Jennifer Jibaritos, the youths panicked and ran. Her son, who had never been in trouble before, also fled before lying on the ground with his hands behind his back.
You May Also Read: IBL Star Jarred Shaw’s Mother, Jay Perry, Stands Firm Amid His Career Success And Shocking Marijuana Smuggling Arrest In Indonesia
He was still on the phone with his older brother as officers located him.
Jibaritos says her son repeatedly told officers he could not breathe as his face was pressed into the snow with an officer’s knee on his back.
When he attempted to lift his head to breathe, not to resist, the officer allegedly struck him twice in the face with a metal object, described as either a flashlight or a gun.
The blows caused several injuries, and the teen reportedly lost consciousness.
According to the mother, officers dragged her son, still unconscious, back to the original stop, and when he woke up, he was covered in blood and started vomiting.
Despite his condition, she says police transported him to the station first, changed his blood-soaked clothes, and only then brought him to the hospital, where doctors admitted him for multiple fractures.
Another minor who was with the teen was also allegedly beaten and required emergency medical treatment.
In her plea for help, Jennifer wrote,
“This is excessive force. This is abuse of power,” . “My son kept saying, ‘I’m not resisting, I give up.’ No badge gives you the right to break a child’s face.”
Jennifer Jibaritos
She also claims that another officer told her the primary officer involved had previously been fired for hitting a minor but somehow got his job back, raising even deeper concerns about oversight within the department.
The post grabbed intense emotional responses, with hundreds urging her to seek legal and media assistance. One commenter wrote,
Where the fuck was the stop??!? What in the actual fuck! Go ask people for their ring cameras anything in the area. I would demand body cam footage immediately!!!! That is insane!!!
Bo Jo Fricks
Another urged legal action immediately:
Lawyer the eff up. That’s so fucked up n I’m so sorry that happened to ur baby.
Isabel Garcia
Many others echoed the same message: get a lawyer, gather evidence, and do not allow the case to be buried.
A commenter familiar with civil rights cases advised:
Get lawyer asap this is excessive force n he posed no threat anymore once he laid on ground with hands behind his bak…I ben to tha joint afew times n have seen all type of lawsuits granted cuz of this very thing..also u need to get bak ground of officer who did this to c if he’s ben accused of this typa behavior becuz im sho this not his first time doing something like this…get tha police reports n body cam…do not let this issue go n get lawyers ASAP
DroWorld Frame
Several recommended well-known civil rights attorneys, Chicago-area law firms, and organizations like the ACLU and NAACP.
One commenter warned the family not to rely on local Rockford attorneys, saying,
Get a lawyer but don’t get one from RKFRD cuz they all work together here, get one from Chicago or surrounding area, RPD is bogus ASF for what they did, they let their uniform defy them
Tanya Thomas
Others expressed heartbreak and outrage at the sight of the boy’s injuries. One said, “He’s unrecognizable… I’m so sorry, mama.”
Another wrote, “Your baby still has peach fuzz. They were on a power trip.”
Some residents also pointed out prior issues involving the Rockford Police Department. One commenter said, “Rockford police known for doing ish like this.”
Another person recalled a similar past incident involving the same officer.
Many commenters encouraged the mother to contact major local and Chicago news outlets, tag journalists, and request Ring or business surveillance footage from the area.
Beyond the individual case, many commenters raised wider concerns about police accountability, training, and use of force against minors. One person wrote,
What the f I am so sorry h the is happened to him! Such a scary freaking place we live this should never happened
Andrea Swinney
Another added,
The fact they took him to the station FIRST instead of the hospital alone shows how shady it all is and that they are trying to cover it up smh.
Delquasia Unique Jackson
Jennifer says she now has multiple attorneys reaching out and plans to pursue the case to “the fullest extremes.”
She hopes that obtaining bodycam and other video footage will confirm her son’s account and lead to consequences for the officers involved.
Read More: Prep Academy Coach Matthew Wells was Arrested Again for Marijuana Possession After Serving 5 Months
