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Girl, 12, arrested over desk doodle

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Published: Feb. 5, 2010 at 4:29 PM

NEW YORK, Feb. 5 (UPI) -- A New York woman said her 12-year-old daughter was led out of her school in handcuffs and detained for several hours for writing on a desk in erasable marker.

Moraima Tamacho, 49, said her daughter, Alexa Gonzalez, 12, was escorted out of Junior High School 190 Monday in handcuffs, walked across the street to the police precinct and was detained for several hours, the New York Daily News reported Friday.

"She's been throwing up," Tamacho said of her daughter since the incident. "The whole situation has been a nightmare."

A family court judge assigned Gonzalez Tuesday to eight hours of community service, a book report and an essay about what she has learned.

Some police and city officials agreed with Tamacho that the arrest was a mistake.

"Even when we're asked to make an arrest, common sense should prevail, and discretion used in deciding whether an arrest or handcuffs are really necessary," police spokesman Paul Browne said.

Gonzalez said she drew a smiley face on the desk in erasable marker and wrote two messages: "I love my friends Abby and Faith," and "Lex was here. 2/1/10."

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