One year later, probe continues into drug raid that maimed toddler
Newly released court documents reveal that Habersham County authorities believed they were not at fault in a botched drug raid that maimed a toddler and sparked a national debate over the militarization of police.
Instead, according to the defense’s response to allegations made in a federal lawsuit filed earlier this year by the parents of Bou Bou Phonesavanh, who barely survived after a flash bang grenade landed in his playpen one year ago Thursday, the “deliberate, criminal conduct of the plaintiffs” was to blame.
Bou Bou, now back in Wisconsin with his family, recently underwent his 12th surgery, his mother, Alecia Phonesavanh, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The child sustained a brain injury, collapsed lung and nearly lost his nose when the device exploded on his pillow.
The family will mark the one-year anniversary in the hospital where Bou Bou’s father, Bounkham Phonesavanh, is scheduled to undergo surgery for a torn rotator cuff suffered in the aftermath of the raid.
"I am hopeful for criminal charges against the officers involved," said Alecia Phonesavanh, referring to an ongoing federal investigation.
The full article will be posted Thursday afternoon on myajc.com.
About the Author
A native Atlantan, Boone joined the AJC staff in 2007. He quickly carved out a niche covering crime stories, assuming the public safety beat in 2014. He's covered some of the biggest trials this decade, from Hemy Neuman to Ross Harris to Chip Olsen, the latter of which was featured on Season 7 of the AJC's award-winning "Breakdown" podcast.
