Grandmother says she went looking for a security guard to report her grandson missing, not realizing guards had already located him.
A 13-year-old autistic boy was physically restrained by security guards at the Lloydminster Exhibition fair Saturday after becoming separated from his grandmother, according to video circulating on social media and an account provided to BorderPulse by the boy’s grandmother.
The boy’s grandmother, Esther Bird, told BorderPulse she and her grandson were preparing to leave the fair Saturday evening when he asked for one more ride and ran off into the crowd.
“There was so many people I couldn’t follow him,” Bird said.
Bird said she went looking for a security guard to report him missing while also walking up and down the midway searching.
“I’m guessing I couldn’t find one because they were all surrounding my grandchild,” she said.
Bird said her grandson was telling people nearby that he was lost. A family sitting at a table nearby began watching over him. Bird said she later thanked the family personally for stepping in.
Video reviewed by BorderPulse shows security guards removing the boy from the area of the tables, they proceeded to bring him into another room at the Ex. Inside the room, guards can be seen man-handling the child yet again. Lloyd Ex GM Jackie Tomayer is seen positioned at the doorway of the room while this occurred.
The boy then fled the room. Additional video shows him being chased by multiple guards, restrained with both arms, and brought to the ground a short time later.
Bird said she was finally located by RCMP after Cash pointed to her on a video and identified her as “grandma”. He was calm by the time she went to pick him up.
“I asked who had laid hands on him and no one said anything,” said Bird. “I said you should never lay hands on anyone as I walked away.”
Security personnel involved were contracted through Executive Protection Services, a security firm operating across Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and B.C.
BorderPulse sent Tomayer and Executive Protection Services detailed questions Sunday morning, including whether the Ex verified the company’s training standards before contracting them for the event, what policy exists for staff handling a distressed or lost child, and whether either party has been in contact with RCMP. Both were given a 10 a.m. deadline, neither responded by that deadline.
Bird said she has contacted RCMP to file a report. BorderPulse will provide updates as that process continues.
Under Saskatchewan’s Private Investigators and Security Guards Act, 1997, licensed security guards hold no special legal authority beyond that of an ordinary member of the public. Any use of force by a guard is governed by the same Criminal Code of Canada standard of reasonable force that applies to any private citizen.
This story will be updated as new information becomes available.
Read more: “No Criminal Offence in Lloydminster RCMP teacher investigation – The Border Pulse
I believe they should do alot more checking with people that was attending. I was harass by one of the security guards last night.
Gm also sits on the SSDA super corrupt organization and she’s running for political office. Don’t vote for her is all I’ll say